The environmental community is celebrating a years in the making victory in efforts to eliminate offshore oil drilling along the Central and South Coasts. The final offshore oil and gas leases in state waters off the Santa Barbara County coastline have been terminated.
It means an end to drilling, and the potential for new drilling from the coast to three miles offshore. The decision by the State Lands Commission means Santa Barbara County joins Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties with an end to active oil and gas drilling leases.
The Trump Administration has been pushing to reopen federal waters further offshore to new leasing. So far, those efforts seem to have stalled.
Environmentalists say given the Trump Administration’s attitude, the battle to protect the Central and South Coasts is far from over. But, they say termination of the last active leases in state waters in the region which could lead to drilling is a huge victory worth celebrating.