SACRAMENTO – Senator John Laird today announced the introduction of Senate Joint Resolution 12, a bipartisan measure opposing the federal government’s proposed 11^th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and calling for California to be removed from the proposed plan, stronger environmental review and public engagement in the process.

The resolution is coauthored by 46 members of the Legislature from both parties, reflecting bipartisan opposition to the proposal and deep concern over its potential impacts on coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and local economies.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is currently accepting public comment on the proposed plan, with a deadline of January 23.

Under the proposal, BOEM would permit up to 34 offshore lease sales across 1.27 billion acres of federal waters, including six new potential lease sales off northern, central, and southern California. These areas have not seen any newly executed offshore oil and gas leases since the Reagan administration.

“California’s coast is integral to our environment, economy, and identity,” said Laird. “This resolution makes clear that Californians, as well as leaders across the country, oppose a reckless offshore drilling plan that ignores environmental risks and input from the public.”

Despite the unprecedented scope of the proposal, BOEM is not planning to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement. The proposed plan represents a sharp departure from prior federal policy. The final offshore leasing program under the Biden Administration did not propose any California leases, and the Administration issued a memorandum removing all California areas from any future offshore oil and gas planning. That memorandum was rescinded when President Trump entered office for his second term, reopening California waters to potential leasing.

Opposition to the proposed plan is strong, widespread, and bipartisan. Federal, state, and local leaders across the country, including Republicans and Republican-led states such as Florida, have voiced objections to expanded offshore drilling. In California, local governments have consistently acted to protect their coastlines: At least 27 California municipalities have adopted ordinances that prohibit or require voter approval for zoning changes related to onshore facilities that support offshore oil and gas development. And at least 100 municipalities statewide have adopted resolutions opposing any expansion of offshore oil drilling in California.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Laird said. “Leaders from both parties and from coastal states across the nation recognize that the risks of offshore drilling far outweigh any potential benefits.”

“This resolution is a wake-up call to the Trump Administration that California stands strong and united in opposition to any new offshore drilling leases off our extraordinary coastline,” said Susan Jordan, Executive Director of the California Coastal Protection Network. “California’s opposition has stretched consistently over a half century since the massive 1969 oil despoiled the Santa Barbara coastline devastating the tourist economy and killing wildlife despite heartbreaking attempts to rescue them. California’s opposition to new drilling has never wavered, as evidenced by the many laws California has enacted since then — including the California Coastal Act, the strongest coastal protection law in the U.S. and the world, and it will not waver now no matter how many illegal tactics are employed, or punishments are threatened.”

“Working together to oppose a proposed plan that includes leases off California is one of the most important steps that can be taken to protect our ocean and our coastal communities,” said Julie Packard, Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “We have learned devastating lessons from the impacts of offshore oil development off California, in the Gulf, and elsewhere. We know that the foundation of thriving coastal communities and their economies is a healthy, vibrant ocean. We hope Californians and all Americans can act together, once again, to ensure a future free of the threat of offshore drilling.”

“We applaud Senator Laird for leading this important effort to stand up for California’s coast,” said Maggie Hall, Deputy Chief Counsel at the Environmental Defense Center. “The last thing our communities need is more dangerous oil drilling, which threatens another disaster — like the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill or 2015 Plains oil spill — and contributes to the climate crisis.”

“Now is the time to end the threat of expanded drilling off California’s coastline forever,” said Joseph Gordon, Director for Oceana. “Oceana applauds Senator Laird and all members of the legislature who are working to protect the Golden State’s beautiful coastline. Californians deserve healthy, clean oceans. This resolution builds upon a national movement and further solidifies California’s bipartisan history to safeguard our oceans and protect our multi-billion-dollar coastal economies from expanded offshore oil drilling and spilling for good.”

“Offshore drilling is a dirty and dangerous practice that ravages our oceans with chemical pollution, spills, fires and explosions,” said Jennifer Savage, California Policy Associate Director for the Surfrider Foundation. “Any new fossil fuel production is an unacceptable risk to our communities’ health, well-being, and economic prosperity.”

“Trump’s first attempt to drill off nearly every U.S. coastline ran into a brick wall of bipartisan opposition, but he can’t seem to get the message,” said Brady Bradshaw, senior oceans campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “California once again must spell it out for him that his plan to destroy our coastline is dead on arrival. This resolution is Trump’s official warning that Californians will fight hard against all new offshore drilling, and we plan to win.”

Senate Joint Resolution 12 affirms the California Legislature’s opposition to BOEM’s proposed offshore oil plan, calls on BOEM to prepare a programmatic environmental impact report, hold public hearings in California, and remove California leases from the proposed program.