AmericasOffshore

California plans to impede increased offshore drilling by denying pipeline permits

California elected officials on Wednesday spelled out their intent to hamper as much as possible the White House’s plan to expand offshore drilling, according to Reuters.

The Golden State will do this by refusing pipeline permits for transporting the oil produced from offshore drilling sites.

President Donald Trump’s agenda features big promises to lift restrictions on domestic energy production and to put into play vast areas of previously off-limits federal waters.

In an e-mail statement, the state’s Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom said: “I am resolved that not a single drop from Trump’s new oil plan ever makes landfall in California.”

Also on Wednesday, the California State Lands Commission, of which Newsom is the chairman, sent a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy management (BOEM) calling for the withdrawal of the drilling expansion plan. BOEM is an agency within DOI.

Last month, just a week after the planned big offshore expansion was announced, Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ryan Zinke appeared to backtrack by saying Florida could be exempted to protect its tourism and fishing industries.

Immediately almost all other coastal states asked for similar treatment and Zinke promised to hear arguments from each state’s governor.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
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