SACRAMENTO, California — The Trump administration is preparing to open parts of California’s coastline to offshore oil and gas drilling for the first time in decades, according to a draft plan obtained by The Washington Post. The proposal, which is expected to be released in the coming weeks, includes six offshore lease sales between 2027 and 2030, as well as expanded drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico — rebranded by President Donald Trump as the “Gulf of America.”
The plan immediately drew sharp criticism from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is attending the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. “This proposal is dead on arrival,” Newsom said, condemning the administration’s decision to skip the global climate conference. Environmental groups, including the Surfrider Foundation, warned that offshore drilling threatens marine ecosystems, tourism, and coastal economies still shaped by the legacy of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill.
Drilling off the Pacific Coast has been largely banned since the 1980s, following decades of bipartisan opposition. Analysts say oil companies may favor leases in the Gulf of Mexico, where infrastructure already exists. The Department of the Interior has not commented on the draft plan, which is expected to spark legal and political challenges from California and environmental advocates.
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