Boad of Supervisors Reaffirms Opposition to Offshore Oil Drilling and Seabed Mining

Author: Board of Supervisors
Date: 12/16/2025 4:19 PM

The Board adopted a resolution opposing new offshore oil and gas development, approved a formal letter to the Trump Administration expressing opposition to new leases, and voted to join the Local Government Outer Continental Shelf Coalition opposed to offshore oil.

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to reaffirm the County's long-standing opposition to offshore oil drilling and seabed mining along the California coast. The Board adopted a resolution opposing new offshore oil and gas development, approved a formal letter to the Trump Administration expressing opposition to new leases, and voted to join the Local Government Outer Continental Shelf Coalition opposed to offshore oil.

In recent months, the Trump Administration has taken significant federal actions aimed at expanding offshore oil and gas leasing, including advancing a new 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. As part of this effort, the Department of the Interior has released a draft proposed program that includes up to six new lease sales off the Northern, Central, and Southern California coasts between 2027 and 2030-marking the first federal proposal to open Central Coast waters to new offshore drilling in decades.

"Our region has seen firsthand the environmental and economic devastation that can result from offshore oil development," said Supervisor Jimmy Paulding. "From the long-term impacts of the Guadalupe Oil Field and Avila Beach contamination to the 2015 Refugio oil spill just to our south, the risks are real, lasting, and far outweigh any short-term benefit."

The Board's resolution was approved on a 3-2 vote, with Supervisors Paulding, Dawn Ortiz-Legg, and Bruce Gibson voting in favor, and Supervisors John Peschong and Heather Moreno voting in opposition.

The resolution reaffirms County policies embedded in the Local Coastal Program and Offshore Energy Element, which prioritize coastal protection, public health, and quality of life. It also reflects the will of local voters, who approved Measure A in 1986 requiring voter approval for offshore oil support facilities and later rejected a proposed offshore oil support project.

"Tourism, commercial fishing, recreation, and our coastal ecosystems are cornerstones of our local economy and identity," Paulding added. "Offshore drilling and seabed mining place all of that at risk. This vote sends a clear message that San Luis Obispo County stands with coastal communities up and down California in opposing these activities."

In addition to the resolution, the Board approved sending a letter to the Trump Administration urging federal decision-makers to reject proposed offshore oil and gas leasing and seabed mining and voted to join the Local Government Offshore Oil Coalition, a network of local governments working collaboratively to protect coastal resources in California.

"These actions reaffirm that San Luis Obispo County will continue to be a strong advocate for environmental stewardship, local control, and the protection of our coast for future generations," Paulding said.