California Clean Coast Act Reintroduced by Representative Salud Carbajal

Democratic Party Representative Salud Carbajal has reintroduced the California Clean Coast Act into the US Congress. The act aims to permanently ban future offshore oil and gas leasing in areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California.

Carbajal, who represents Santa Barbara, has been a vocal advocate for protecting the state’s coast from the devastating impact of oil spills. The California Clean Coast Act was the first bill he introduced as a member of Congress.

Speaking about the importance of the act, Carbajal stated, “Santa Barbara knows firsthand how devastating oil spills can be on our marine ecosystems and coastline. I’m proud to lead this bill to ban future offshore oil drilling in our state and ensure California’s world-famous coastline is protected for future generations to enjoy.”

Linda Krop, chief counsel of the Environmental Defence Centre, also emphasized the significance of the California Clean Coast Act in preserving the coast and climate from the threats of offshore oil drilling.

In a significant move at the end of the Biden administration, President Biden invoked his authority to protect federal waters from oil and gas exploration, a move that Carbajal had been advocating for over eight years. However, several Republican-led states have challenged Biden’s offshore drilling ban through a lawsuit.

Carbajal’s bill is part of a larger effort in Congress to block oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is complemented by Senate bills such as the West Coast Ocean Protection Act and the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act.

The West Coast Ocean Protection Act, introduced by Senator Alex Padilla, aims to permanently prohibit new oil and gas leases for offshore drilling off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington state. The Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act, introduced by Senators Cory Booker and Jack Reed, seeks to prevent the issuance of leases for oil and gas exploration in specific areas of the US Outer Continental Shelf.