WASHINGTON D.C. (KEYT) – The U.S. Department of Interior announced Thursday its plans to replace the existing offshore leasing program in the outer continental shelf set to expire in 2029 with an expansive program that would open up over one billion acres of currently protected ocean environment to leasing and development.
Under Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Secretary of Interior is required to approve a five-year schedule for oil and gas leases in federal waters.
Thursday's announcement would terminate existing restrictions under the 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program approved during the Biden Administration and includes at least 34 potential offshore lease sales including six along the Pacific coast.
The six proposed leases along the California coast would be the first attempt to develop those areas for oil and gas extraction in over 40 years.
Image courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management."Despite clear opposition from public officials, environmental experts, and residents across our state, the Administration has proposed to sell California’s coastline to Big Oil," stated Congressman Carbajal. "Trump’s plan puts delicate marine ecosystems at risk and threatens the public health of coastal communities across the West Coast – all so oil executives can line their pockets. The Central Coast knows the devastating consequences of oil spills firsthand. That’s why we’ve long stood at the forefront of the environmental justice movement. Our community is ready to lead in this fight once again, and I will do everything in my power to ensure we rise to the challenge."
This is the second step of the process for final approval of the planned increase in oil and gas leases.
Image courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Management.In 2024, the outer continental shelf oil and gas program provided 14 percent of domestic oil production and two percent of the nation's natural gas production noted the Bureau of Ocean Management.
"Offshore oil and gas development requires long-term vision, steady policy, and the confidence for companies to invest in American energy. For years, that confidence was undercut by the Biden Administration’s failed leasing policies," argued Jarrod Agen, Executive Director of the National Energy Dominance Council.
The image below, courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, shows the impact and estimated timeline for the changes in the lower 48.
In total, an area of approximately 1.27 billion acres will be opened to oil and gas lease sales including 21 areas off the coast of Alaska and seven in the Gulf Coast region.
Image courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management."Offshore oil and gas production does not happen overnight. It takes years of planning, investment, and hard work before barrels reach the market," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "The Biden administration slammed the brakes on offshore oil and gas leasing and crippled the long-term pipeline of America’s offshore production. By moving forward with the development of a robust, forward-thinking leasing plan, we are ensuring that America’s offshore industry stays strong, our workers stay employed, and our nation remains energy dominant for decades to come."
Proposed lease sales in chronological order. Image courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.In January of 2025 at the end of the his administration, President Biden approved federal protection for over 600 million acres of open ocean in the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Arctic regions which withdrew those areas from future leasing using two Presidential Memoranda.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4 of this year by President Trump and required changes to leasing opportunities along the outer continental shelf.
After a public comment period in April of this year, the Secretary of Interior prepared the 1st Proposal of the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Program, announced Thursday, which will be available for public comment on the Federal Register beginning on Nov. 24, 2025.
According to the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monetary, coastal counties in the United States cover only 17 percent of the country's land area, but account for 34 percent of total GDP and 37 percent of total employment.
In California, the economic impact is even more pronounced.
Coastal California counties are 22 percent of the state's total land area, but generate more than 80 percent of the state's GDP shared a joint research project by the California State University system.
Coastal-based tourism and recreation account for 85 percent of coastal county businesses and 67 percent of ocean-dependent jobs detailed the state's 2024 Marine Economy Report.
"History has shown us, from Santa Barbara to San Francisco to Huntington Beach, that where we drill, we spill," noted Vipe Desai, Executive Director of the Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA). "Each spill leaves a devastating mark on our coasts, communities, and the ocean that fuels our culture and economy. For the surf industry, whose livelihood depends on healthy oceans and thriving coastal communities, the cost of inaction is simply too high."
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