California one signature away from saying “no” to Trump administration’s offshore drilling plan

Environment California

Sacramento — Today the California state Legislature passed a measure that, if signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, will block offshore oil drillers from transporting their dirty, dangerous fuels from federal waters to California’s coastline. SB 834 by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, highly contested by the oil industry, came in response to the Trump administration’s push to open 90 percent of federal coastal waters, including off California’s coast, to oil and gas drilling. A similar bill by Asm. Al Maratuschi, AB 1775, awaits an Assembly concurrence vote.

“California’s stunning coastline and oil drilling do not mix — period,” said Dan Jacobson, state director for Environment California. “This bill makes it clear: We would not like it here. We would not like it there. We would not like it anywhere.”

SB 834 would prevent the state from permitting new pipelines, piers, wharves and other structures that would industrialize the coast and help move the oil and gas from rigs off our coast onto land.

“We’re pushing to get 100 percent of our energy from clean renewable sources, which will soon be the new benchmark in California. To get there, we can’t continue to invest in the dirty, dangerous technologies of the 19th century,” said Jacobson.

“My hat is off to our elected officials who see this 21st-century reality, and who voted to do what California can do to block the Trump administration’s reckless push for new oil drilling,” he added.