California’s coast is facing a renewed threat. Newly leaked federal documents suggest plans to bypass marine sanctuary protections and open areas near the Golden Gate, Sonoma County, and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to new offshore oil and gas drilling as soon as 2027.

If approved, these plans would undo decades of coastal protections, threaten marine life, and jeopardize the clean water and sustainable economies that our coastal communities depend on. The risk of oil spills, pollution, and long-term harm to biodiversity is far too great — especially as we work to address the climate crisis and transition toward clean energy.

For nearly forty years, communities from Santa Cruz to Sonoma have stood together to protect these waters — forming what became known as the “blue wall” that kept oil rigs off our shores. We can’t let that progress be reversed.

This is about more than California. Protecting these waters helps set a national precedent for how the United States values its coasts, oceans, and marine sanctuaries. If these protections can be rolled back here, it opens the door to similar threats across the country. Defending California’s coast now means defending every coastline for future generations.

We’re calling on U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to:

• Publicly reject any attempt to reopen offshore drilling leases along the California coast
• Reaffirm protections for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and all California marine sanctuaries
• Ensure full environmental review and public input before any offshore energy proposal moves forward.

California’s coast is not a backup plan for the fossil fuel industry — it’s a living ecosystem and a place worth protecting for generations to come.

This petition will be delivered to:

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Elizabeth Klein, Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

A copy will also be shared with Governer Gavin Newsom and  Congressman Jimmy Panetta to support ongoing efforts to protect California’s coast.

Along with: 

Sen. Alex Padilla (CA) – Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
Sen. Laphonza Butler (CA) – for statewide support
Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) – represents the North Coast and chairs the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07) – Ranking Member, House Natural Resources Committee; long-time drilling opponent