In response to the September 9 article, “Assemblymember Gregg Hart’s offshore oil bill could defend California from Trump’s energy agenda. Will Governor Newsom sign it?”
I have had the privilege of helping advance the critical AB 1448 legislation that would help protect California’s coast from the imminent threats it now faces. Oceana, along with local partners like the Environmental Defense Center and the Center for Biological Diversity, have sponsored this critical legislation. The bill’s importance is straightforward: while California cannot stop the federal government from offering new offshore oil leases in federal waters, we can prevent those leases from using existing infrastructure in state waters to bring that oil ashore.
The Trump administration is actively trying to sell off California’s entire offshore coast to oil drilling. But opposition here extends across the spectrum, from California residents and coastal business owners to local governments, state leaders, and members of our congressional delegation. Californians understand that our coast is far more valuable protected than it is poisoned by oil spills.
Governor Newsom has repeatedly pledged to fight federal efforts to expand offshore drilling. Signing AB 1448 is a critical opportunity to turn that commitment into lasting protection for California’s coast.
Lisa Gilfillan, Oceana
San Diego
