SALINAS, CA – On Monday, January 25 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) reintroduced the California Central Coast Conservation Act, which establishes a moratorium on all new oil and gas leasing on federal public land on the central coast of California. This is the first bill Congressman Panetta has introduced in the 117th Congress. Congressman Panetta originally introduced this legislation in December 2019 in direct response to the Trump Administration’s decision to allow for new oil and gas leasing and development on over 720,000 acres of public land in Central California, primarily in Fresno, Monterey, and San Benito counties.
The bill prohibits the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from implementing the decision until it completes and publishes a supplemental environmental impact statement assessing the impacts of oil and gas drilling on the Central Coast. Specifically, the review must consider potential impacts on air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, groundwater, surface water, seismicity, wildlife and plant species, low-income communities, communities of color, and indigenous communities. If the assessment identifies adverse environmental impacts, the Administration’s decision cannot proceed.
The Biden-Harris Administration has already made clear its commitment to reversing dangerous Trump Administration policies that have threatened our nation’s public lands. Congressman Panetta and his California colleagues look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration to advance these types of solutions, including the solution outlined in this bill.
Original cosponsors of the California Central Coast Conservation Act include Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17), Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02), and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13).
"As a federal legislator, I strive to make decisions based on evidence and I expect federal agencies to do the same. Until the BLM completes a detailed analysis of the harmful impacts new oil and gas drilling will have on our pristine environment, the agency should not be able to proceed," said Congressman Panetta. "I look forward to working with the Biden Administration to reverse the previous administration’s threats to not just the environment, but also the economy and our way of life on the Central Coast.”
"We are talking about millions of acres of public lands, not a disposable commodity for sale to the highest bidder in the oil and gas industry," said Congressman Lowenthal. "The public have been clear that they want their underground water sources protected, climate change mitigated, and our public resources safeguarded for future generations. The California Central Coast Conservation Act is critical to protecting these lands and I applaud Congressman Panetta's continued leadership in standing up for California's residents and our environment."
“The Central Coast boasts some of the most beautiful natural treasures in the country and pursuing fracking or oil and gas leasing on public land will only hurt our environment, public health, and recreation economy,” said Rep. Carbajal. “Our public land is not for sale. I’m proud to partner with my Central Coast colleagues to prevent the Bureau of Land Management from exploiting the environment to line the pockets of the oil industry.”
The legislation is endorsed by the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity as well.
“We applaud Congressman Panetta’s bold bill that prioritizes communities, health and climate mitigation. Californians have seen climate devastation on an alarming and unprecedented scale over the past years, and need urgent action to slow the crisis. Halting oil and gas drilling on Central California’s public lands will move us toward a future that centers communities, clean energy and climate resilience,” said Jenny Binstock, Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club’s Our Wild America Campaign in California.
“This bill will help lead us to a safer and more livable environment, especially for those of us who live, study and work in communities disproportionately harmed by fossil fuel extraction and pollution. It is clear we cannot wait any longer. We are choking from wildfire smoke, and thousands of oil rigs in our backyards and leaking storage tanks poisoning us with benzene,” says Cesar Aguirre, Community Organizer with the Central California Environmental Justice Network. “We applaud this proposed legislation that prioritizes community health, and turns the page on climate denial and corporate favoritism that has plagued our communities.”
"While we look forward to President Biden following through on his campaign promise to ban new oil and gas leasing on federal lands, this important legislation would move us towards permanent protections for our air, water and health along California’s coast," said Clare Lakewood, legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. "We’re grateful that Rep. Panetta is continuing to push back against the dangerous expansion of oil extraction in our state."
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