Rep. Panetta Commends Biden Administration's Proposal to Stop Issuing California Off-shore Drilling Leases

Press Release

Today, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) praised the Biden Administration's proposal to halt the sale of new leases for off-shore drilling on the California coast. The proposal, announced by Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland, signals the Administration's intentions to halt all lease sales through the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for the next five years between 2023 and 2028. Rep. Panetta has championed legislation to permanently prevent off-shore drilling on the California coast, including the California Central Coast Conservation Act, which would establish a moratorium on all new oil and gas leasing on federal public land on the central coast of California.

"Off-shore drilling on the Pacific coastline isn't worth the environmental and economic costs, as potential spills pose too much of a threat to our local wildlife and industries," said Rep. Panetta. "I commend the Biden Administration for proposing this pause on new California coast drilling leases for the next five years and will do whatever I can to help finalize this much needed policy. But we also need to pass legislation like my Central Coast Conservation Act, which would permanently prevent new leases from being granted by future administrations that could threaten our home on the Central Coast."

The California Central Coast Conservation Act was the first bill Rep. Panetta introduced in the 117th Congress. Rep. Panetta originally introduced this legislation in December 2019 in direct response to the Trump Administration's decision to allow for new oil and gas leasing and development on over 720,000 acres of public land in Central California, primarily in Fresno, Monterey, and San Benito counties.

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