Editor’s note: The ghost of Trump’s first term to use our local (and national) public lands for oil/gas drilling was defeated thanks to public opposition, but it’s back to feed the greed. Los Padres ForestWatch has compiled all the dirty details but is also providing links to fight it.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a study that recommends allowing oil and gas leasing across large portions of central California between the Santa Barbara coast and the Sierra Nevada.
The plan would open up to 850,000 acres for fossil fuel drilling and fracking. That number includes roughly 400,000 acres of public lands including parks, ecological reserves, and beaches across Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Kern, and surrounding counties.
“This proposal puts some of the Central Coast’s most cherished public lands, beaches, and drinking water sources directly in the crosshairs of expanded fossil fuel development,” said Jeff Kuyper, Executive Director of Los Padres ForestWatch.
“At a time when California has taken steps to move away from fossil fuels, the Trump administration is advancing a plan that would open hundreds of thousands of acres to drilling and fracking—raising serious concerns about risks to public lands and nearby communities.”
“The Trump Administration is once again prioritizing profit over the health of the planet. California’s public lands protect vital habitat and endemic species, bolster local economies, and provide numerous outdoor recreation opportunities for our employees and customers,” said Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia. “Our public lands and waters should be preserved for the use of the public, not offered up for sale to oil and gas companies.”
A list compiled by ForestWatch shows a host of familiar places within our Sierra Club Chapter.
In Ventura County: Ilvento Preserve, The Thacher School, Upper Ojai, Lion Canyon, Hopper Mountain, Point Mugu State Park, Santa Monica Mtns , Heritage Valley Foothills, Red Mountain, Ventura Hillsides, North Ventura Backcountry, San Nicholas Island, Naval Base, and Frazier Mountain.
In Santa Barbara County: Carpinteria Foothills, Cate School, Santa Ynez Mountains, Nojoqui Falls County Park, Scenic Highway 154, Lake Cachuma, Sisquoc River, San Rafael Wilderness, Tepusquet Canyon, Cuyama Valley Foothills,
Purisima Hills, Vandenberg SFB, Point Sal County Park and State Beach, City of Lompoc, Ken Adam Park, Allan Hancock College, Jalama Beach County Park and Dangermond Preserve.
The agency will receive public comments on the proposed management updates until March 6.
Information on how to submit public comments is available at: