Trump pushes new oil expansion off California coast, reviving plan rejected by Newsom
The proposal calls for six auctions for drilling rights off the California coast and the area that includes part of the Gulf near Florida.
Oil refinery in Los Angeles
The administration of President Donald Trump proposed Thursday to open new areas for oil and gas development off the coast of California, and in the vicinity of an area previously considered part of the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The announcement in a communicationby the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management represents an insistence on a measure previously rejected by the state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.
The proposal calls for holding six auctions for drilling rights off the California coast and the area that includes a portion of the Gulf near Florida, in what represents a clear expansion of offshore drilling plans by proposing to making more than 30 offshore oil and gas lease sales between 2026 and 2031, replacing a plan by the Democratic administration of former President Joe Biden that only proposed three offshore lease sales between 2024 and 2029.
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Far from being a surprise, the truth is that, dsince his first administration, Trump has shown significant support for fossil fuels, including oil and gas drilling, by assuring that such a move would be favorable for the U.S. economy. The Republican leader has even promised on numerous occasions to materialize what he has termed as "drill, baby drill" ("drill, drill nonstop"), which many industry players have praised, while some environmental activist figures have strongly criticized by arguing that such drilling could cause heavy damage to the environment that would cost millions to fix.
Newsom's rejection
For his part, following the recent announcement by the administration, National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito praised the Republican administration's proposal. "A clear leasing schedule gives companies the certainty to invest, strengthens supply chains, bolsters communities, and keeps the U.S. competitive in a rapidly evolving global energy landscape. We commend Secretary [Doug] Burgum and the Department of the Interior for taking this important step to fix a leasing program that was wholly insufficient," Milito said.
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