TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Board of Supervisors
MEETING DATE: June 24, 2025
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Supervisor Williams
PHONE:
707-463-4221
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Supervisor Norvell
PHONE:
707-463-4221
ITEM TYPE: Consent Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: N/A
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Ratification of Letter of Opposition to Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Along the California Coastline
(Sponsors: Supervisor Williams and Supervisor Norvell)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Ratify letter of letter of opposition to offshore oil and gas drilling along the California coastline.
End
PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
The Board of Supervisors regularly issues support letters that align with the 2025 Legislative Platform. These letters advocate for adequate and ongoing federal and state funding, timely distribution of resources, increased local authority, and flexibility in administering and providing services.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
In response to the renewed federal emphasis on offshore oil and gas development, including the current Administration's announcement to reopen leasing across 625 million acres of federal waters, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors felt it necessary to articulate its opposition to any new or expanded offshore drilling activities along the coast of California.
While the current federal five-year offshore leasing program (10th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2024-2029) includes no lease sales in the Pacific, it does not preclude future leasing activity. No lease sales have been held in the Pacific since 1984, though 30 active leases remain off Southern California. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) estimates the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) holds a mean undiscovered oil and gas resource volume of 13.06 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BBOE).
Despite decades of congressional moratoria, Presidential withdrawals, and unified opposition from California, ...
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