In summary
There is already a ban in place that prohibits additional federal leasing off California’s coast until 2022. But Obama declined to make that permanent, even as he ruled out energy exploration in parts of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The Trump administration’s response is a big unknown.
Gov. Jerry Brown sent a letter to President Obama as he was leaving office, asking him to permanently place California’s coast off limits to drilling.
“California is blessed with hundreds of miles of spectacular coastline; home to scenic state parks, beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife and thriving communities,” Brown wrote. “Clearly, large new oil and gas reserves would be inconsistent with our overriding imperative to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and combat the devastating impacts of climate change.”
The federal government already announced it would not auction federal leases until after 2022, if at all. But Obama declined to make that permanent, even as he ruled out energy exploration in parts of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.
Thus far the Trump administration has not signaled its intentions.