On November 18th, the Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution reaffirming its opposition to offshore oil and deep-sea bed mining off California’s coast. The resolution also had Marin join the Local Government Outer Continental Shelf Coordination Program, which facilitates collaboration among counties in the fight against offshore drilling threats. We supported this resolution, as we have continually opposed offshore oil since our founding in 1971.
“Today, Marin will join other coastal counties, like Humboldt and Santa Cruz, that have already reaffirmed their opposition to offshore oil. Marin’s voice is part of a greater message up and down the coast - that Californians will not stand for this administration’s attempts to open our waters to drilling activities.”
We especially thank Supervisor Dennis Rodoni and his office for continuing to champion offshore oil protections, as well as Richard Charter for his leadership of the local government coordination program and longtime work to protect our coasts from offshore oil.
Comment now on Proposal That Opens California’s Coast to Offshore Oil & Gas
Marin’s resolution couldn’t have come sooner.
Last week, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released a draft plan that proposes allowing oil and gas leasing along California's entire coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska. This move has been widely condemned by thousands across the country, including environmentalists, fishermen, businesses, elected officials, and coastal communities - and YOU can join them!
What's at Stake?
Oil drilling and exploration are inherently risky: oil spills, leaks, and seismic blasting destroy habitat, harm wildlife, cause pollution, impact fisheries, and threaten coastal economies and communities. Advocacy up and down California's coast has established ordinances restricting oil and gas development in many of our counties, but the devastating impacts of oil drilling don't care about jurisdictional lines - our marine ecosystems are interconnected, and an oil spill anywhere hurts us all.
Marin’s coastal habitat is significant for recreation, tourism, and commercial fishing. Marin’s waters provide habitat for at least 25 endangered or threatened species, 36 marine mammal species, over a quarter-million breeding seabirds, and one of the biggest, most significant white shark populations on the planet. As the climate change and biodiversity crises worsen, saying NO to dirty oil is more important than ever!
Marin County and the Bay Area are included in the Central California Proposed Program Area. The draft proposal calls for oil and gas leasing to be opened here as early as 2027. Image from 11th National Draft Proposed Program Areas Map Viewer.
Flood BOEM With Opposition!
Public comment for the draft proposal opens TODAY until January 23, 2026. Tell BOEM that we as Californians are united in opposition to any new drilling off our coast - and in any U.S. waters. Voice your opposition here by clicking the blue "Comment" button!
Personalize your comment as much as possible. How are you a stakeholder? Are you a business owner or fisher? Do you recreate on California's coasts? Do you live in a coastal community? Show why an oil-free Pacific is important to you.
Sample Comment:
As a [Californian / business owner / resident of... / etc.], I am writing to oppose any inclusion of California’s coastal waters in new offshore oil and gas leasing.
California’s vibrant coastal economy, which generates billions of dollars every year, depends on clean, oil-free coasts.
Any new oil and gas drilling would be inherently risky and could have devastating consequences for our tourism, recreation, and fishing industries while harming our communities and marine ecosystems.
The expansion of offshore oil and gas is incredibly unpopular with the public, the fishing industry, business owners, elected officials, and coastal communities, with over 400 municipalities across the country formally opposing it. Californians across the political spectrum value clean and resilient coasts over expanded offshore drilling.
For these reasons, I urge BOEM to exclude California from any new oil and gas leasing.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments.
If sending by U.S. mail, label and address to:
Comments for the 11th National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program
Ms. Kelly Hammerle,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (VAM-LD),
45600 Woodland Road,
Sterling, VA 20166-9216
Additional Points:
Less than 20% of the more than 12 million acres of federal waters available for oil and gas leasing have started producing oil as of December 2024. We don't need to open more waters to leasing.
Oil disasters are costly for public health and coastal economies. The Deepwater Horizon spill cost over $60 billion in cleanup and damages and continues to negatively affect communities and ecosystems today.
Thousands of oil spills already occur in the US every year - and expanded leasing will only increase that number.
Now is the time to be investing in renewable energy that is cleaner and greener than fossil fuels - this will generate more jobs while better protecting the health of our communities and oceans.
Learn More
EAC's Press Release: Trump Plans to Open California’s Coastal Waters to Offshore Drilling
Stopthedrill.org: compiled comments across the country opposing offshore oil
