The Trump administration took the first step on January 26 towards offering new offshore oil and gas exploration leases off the coast of California, inviting industry nominations for potential auction areas in the federal waters along the central and southern coast of California.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management of the U.S. Department of the Interior has issued a solicitation notice to gather industry input on areas that could potentially be auctioned off as early as 2027. This action stems from the order “Unleashing American Offshore Energy” issued by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in November last year, which called for the elimination of the Biden administration’s leasing plans for 2024 to 2029 and the expansion of access to offshore energy resources.
Acting Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Matt Giacona, stated in a release that these solicitations aim to conduct detailed analysis of two key resource areas on the Outer Continental Shelf to assist in future development decisions, support U.S. energy security, create high-paying jobs, reduce dependence on foreign energy, and uphold commitments to responsible environmental management.
This move aligns with President Trump’s energy policy goal of increasing domestic energy production to reduce reliance on foreign oil. In 2024, federal waters produced 14% of U.S. crude oil, but production along the Pacific coast accounted for only 0.1%. Since the Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969 which led to the enactment of several environmental regulations, there has not been new drilling lease bidding in the Pacific waters since 1984.
This proposal is part of a five-year draft plan announced in November 2025, outlining up to 34 lease auctions in a total of 1.27 billion acres of sea, including six off the coast of California in the Pacific Ocean from 2027 to 2030. This reversal of restrictions during the Biden era breaks the tradition of federal government policy on drilling off the coast of California for decades.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, along with Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, issued a joint statement condemning this action on January 23. Newsom stated in the letter, “We will use all available legal tools to stop Trump’s offshore drilling plan.”
Newsom warned that offshore drilling would result in wildlife deaths, damage to communities, and billions of dollars in economic losses to the fishing, shipping, and tourism industries. “We will not sacrifice all of this for the profit of oil companies, especially when a single spill could have devastating generational impacts.”
However, the American Petroleum Institute and over eighty other organizations have voiced support for the drilling plan. The alliance stated in a release, “Expanding leasing, exploration, and development of U.S. offshore oil and natural gas resources can drive economic growth and energy production, further strengthening America’s leadership in the energy sector.”
The statement also emphasized that the proposal includes traditional oil-producing areas with the lowest global carbon emissions for exploration and production, situated near existing infrastructure and frontier development areas.