For the first time in 40 years, the federal government is preparing to open up California’s coast to new offshore oil drilling. The Department of the Interior’s latest five-year offshore drilling plan targets our waters for fossil fuel development, and new federal authorizations are also clearing the way for seabed mining — a dangerous, destructive practice that threatens marine ecosystems up and down the coast.

This is happening fast. Drilling leases and mining plans are being pushed forward with reduced public input and weakened environmental review.

But California communities have faced this threat before — and we stopped it. In the 1980s and 90s, local governments joined forces to block offshore oil development by targeting the infrastructure needed to support it. A coalition of 27 cities and counties passed zoning laws that restricted or prohibited pipelines, processing plants, and other onshore facilities. That movement became known as the Blue Wall, and it helped lead to the creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Now, we must act again.

We call on California’s coastal cities, counties, and state leaders to:

• Revive and expand local ordinances restricting onshore infrastructure for offshore oil drilling and seabed mining
• Add protections for seabed mining to all relevant local laws
• Reestablish the Outer Continental Shelf Local Government
• Coordination program to organize resistance statewide
• Urge the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to remove California waters from the 2025–2030 offshore leasing plan

California has the legal tools to stop this. Local governments have the power to say no. And public support for coastal protection has never been stronger.

We stopped offshore drilling before. We can do it again — but only if we act now.

Sign this petition to demand your city and county stand up, join the Blue Wall, and protect California’s coast from oil and mining interests once and for all.
 
 

Photo: AP