A coalition of more than 20 members of Congress from California has issued a call for the Trump Administration to drop its proposals for new oil and gas leases off the state’s coastline.
Democratic Congressman Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara and 20 of his colleagues sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior demanding the action.
The letter points out that after leaders in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina opposed new leasing proposals, President Trump issued a ten-year moratorium on new drilling off their coastlines.
It’s been 35 years since new federal leases have been issued for California’s coastline. It’s considered unlikely the Trump Administration would be able for formalize any new leases during its time left in office, but the coalition is seeking assurances it won’t happen.