Introduction
California has been defending its iconic coastline from expanded offshore oil and gas drilling for more than 40 years. But that isn’t stopping the federal administration’s relentless pursuit to sell off 146 million acres of ocean waters off the state for more oil drilling and spilling.
At the same time, the federal government is also attempting to weaken California’s authority to review federally approved projects that would impact the coast, including offshore drilling. It has also warned it will strip the state of the federal grants it receives to implement its co-management role of the coast.
If these efforts succeed, the health and viability of communities, coastal businesses, and ocean wildlife will be left further vulnerable to worsening environmental disasters. At a time when the federal government is going to drastic and unprecedented lengths to expand offshore oil drilling, Californians are standing up to protect our coast as they have done for decades.
In a critical, timely move, the state recently adopted a new law to further protect its extraordinary shores — and all those who live on and off them — from the risks of more offshore drilling.
How AB 1448 Protects California’s Coast
Earlier this year, the California state legislature passed a new law, Assembly Bill 1448 by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D), prohibiting the use of existing oil and gas infrastructure in the state’s waters to support any new federal offshore drilling.
This bill, co-sponsored by Oceana, Center for Biological Diversity, and Environmental Defense Center, was needed as the Trump administration had indicated it is looking to use the aging oil rigs and pipelines to support new drilling in federal waters.
The bill also tightens California’s existing ban on drilling in state waters while strengthening public oversight and safety requirements before approving any changes to the use of existing offshore drilling infrastructure.
Oceana and our partners built support for this bill in the state legislature, among state agencies, and within Governor Gavin Newsom’s office. We mobilized businesses, local governments, and other important voices to bring visibility and support for this critical legislation.
When Californians came together for a “paddle out” to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the Refugio Beach oil spill, AB 1448 was one of the ways we highlighted how to help prevent a disaster like that from happening on California’s shorelines again.
In the days before the bill signing deadline, actor, advocate, and Oceana board member Ted Danson published an op-ed reminding people that: “Protecting our coast isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It’s a California issue.”
The Cost of Oil Spills in California
Californians know what is at stake when there is drilling off their shores, having paid the price for oil spills time and time again.
The 1969 Santa Barbara, 2015 Refugio Beach, and 2021 Huntington Beach oil spills cumulatively released nearly 4.35 million gallons of crude oil off California, impacting more than 1,500 square miles of ocean. The spills killed marine animals, contaminated and closed fisheries, impacted culturally significant resources, and harmed communities.
The legacy of destruction these three spills have left on our shores will be felt for generations, but even just one is a disaster for our oceans and communities. Refugio Beach is an apt example of the true cost of these disasters.
Oil from the Refugio Beach spill alone coated hundreds of animals — including sea lions, dolphins, lobsters, and birds — resulting in numerous strandings and deaths. This includes an estimated 232 marine mammals that were injured or killed, along with an estimated 558 birds killed. But precious wildlife wasn’t the only impact.
The oil spill affected culturally important areas for the Chumash Peoples, including Sacred Sites and culturally significant resources. And the spill also carried a hefty price tag in economic losses to recreation when fisheries, beaches, and parks were closed. In total, the spill resulted in about $4.5 million in lost recreational value from missed opportunities to camp, recreationally fish, conduct research, or otherwise enjoy the beauty the beaches have to offer. Projects to restore the coast are still ongoing more than a decade after the spill.
All these impacts are a reminder of the devastating implications of offshore drilling. The risks are simply too high.
Protecting America’s Coasts
There is no way to take back the destruction from these oil spills. But we can help prevent them from happening by stopping the expansion of offshore drilling with legislation like AB 1448.
Protecting our cherished oceans is something Californians across the political spectrum can agree on. Californians continue to make it clear that ocean waters off its world-renowned coast are not for sale to more oil drilling. This bill will help us leave the next generation of Californians with a cleaner, healthier ocean — and that is something we can celebrate.
