More than 300 people gathered on Santa Barbara West Beach on Saturday to take a stand against new offshore oil drilling.
The event featured environmentalists holding hands along the shoreline for a group photo to show support for environmental protections.
“A few weeks ago, one of the North County supervisors made a comment about me reading a public comment off a laptop, and here I am, reading it off paper today,” said Ethan Maday, founder and president of 805 Action—a grassroots youth organizing group. “They were saying everything is made of oil, so we can’t move away from oil. I say they are wrong, and that’s the entire goal.”
Maday was referring to Fifth District Santa Barbara County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, who at the Sept. 15 board meeting in North County criticized Maday and others for reading from their phone during public comments.
“To me it just indicates the complete disconnect the public has between the petroleum and oil industry and life in the real world,” said Lavagnino. “That computer, that phone you are reading from was made from the product you want to ban.”
At that same meeting, Second District Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps attempted to defend the speakers reading from devices.
Capps said it was admirable for the youth to take time out of their day to speak at a board of supervisors meeting.
“I don’t want to get into it with you, but having to use a phone, what other options do they have,” Capps said.
The comment prompted Lavagnino to fire back: “Exactly, that is my point.”
Capps responded: “They want other options.”
Lavagnino then said: “It is indispensable. So what you are saying is the petroleum industry, we couldn’t live without.”
Capps smiled back and said: “But they don’t want to live that way.”
Lavagnino snapped back: “But they are living that way.”
Capps responded: “But they want a different view.”
Chair Bob Nelson eventually had to step in and stop the bickering.
Maday said Saturday of Lavagnino’s comments: “We still need oil today, and that sucks, but that’s just the way the world works right now. We are trying to move away from that. That is why we aren’t investing in more offshore drilling, more gas and oil production, we are using common sense.”
Also speaking at the event was California Coastal Commissioner Meagan Harmon, also a member of the Santa Barbara City Council.
“Defending the Coastal Act today is as urgent as it has ever been since this law passed 50 years ago,” Harmon said. “Rising seas, eroding bluffs, critical housing needs, oil extraction, and the question of who gets to reach the shore at all—these are the questions that are going to test us in the days and years that come.”
The event comes as the Trump administration used federal authority to allow Sable Offshore to restart its pipeline system, in the face of state laws and court orders opposing the restart.
People at the event urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign Assembly Bill 1448, a bill authored by Assemblyman Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara. The legislation aims to block existing state infrastructure from being used to support new federal offshore drilling leases, according to a news release.
The bill is currently on the governor’s desk awaiting a signature.
People from Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Center, Fearless Grandmothers, Community Environmental Council, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Surfrider Foundation, 805 Action, Clue SB, Unidos 805, 350 Santa Barbara, League of Women Voters, Last Chance Alliance, Sea League, Get Oil Out!, Indivisible Santa Barbara, and Women’s March attended the event.
“We are here today to stand up for our coast, for the land and ocean that are critical to our survival and existence,” said Linda Krop, chief legal counsel for the Environmental Defense Center. “We are here today to stand up for nature, which nurtures us. We are here to stand up for our right to breathe clean air, drink and swim in clean water, and eat healthy food. And we are here to stand up for the rule of law, which is essential for our democracy.”
Krop said Santa Barbara residents need to stand up against the Trump Administration.
“We need to stand up to the Trump administration’s plan to open our coast to more oil drilling,” Krop said. “We need to stand up to the Trump Administration’s support for fracking from the platforms here on the channel.”
