California Attorney General Rob Bonta submitted comment letters on Mar. 16 opposing two draft supplemental environmental impact statements issued by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which he said do not sufficiently evaluate the environmental harms of proposed oil and gas development on federal lands across 20 counties in central and coastal California.
The issue is significant because the draft statements are required to open new areas of federal land to oil and gas drilling, potentially affecting air quality, water resources, public health, and state efforts to address climate change. The proposals would allow lease sales across more than two million acres of public lands and mineral estate in areas currently used for wildlife conservation, recreation, and near protected lands such as Los Padres National Forest and Pinnacles National Park.
“This is the Trump Administration’s latest attempt in a long-running effort to try and open new parts of California to oil and gas drilling that would benefit the fossil fuel industry and harm California communities that already face some of the worst air quality in the nation. Like in many prior attempts, this Administration is again failing to adequately consider the environmental impacts of drilling,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Our message has always been clear: California’s ecosystems are not playgrounds for the rich. Millions of Californians cherish and rely on our natural environment, and my office will continue to oppose any illegal attempts to impair it.”
Bonta argued that the draft statements are deficient because they use unsupported assumptions about hydraulic fracturing despite state regulations prohibiting it; fail to consider recent science or analyze harms related to water quality, air pollution, or disproportionate impacts on low-income communities; do not consider reasonable alternatives; and do not resolve inconsistencies with state policies limiting greenhouse gas emissions or prohibiting drilling near sensitive locations like homes or schools.
The California Attorney General’s office serves as the state’s chief law enforcement authority with a focus on enforcing laws, protecting public rights, advancing civil rights initiatives, consumer protection, economic security, and environmental justice according to its official website. The office operates statewide as part of California’s executive branch as outlined by state law, led by Rob Bonta according to official information.
Earlier this year, Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over an offshore pipeline restart plan and opposed other efforts to expand offshore drilling. The Attorney General’s office also promotes transparency through tools like OpenJustice for publishing criminal justice data according to its website.
Looking ahead, Bonta said his office will continue opposing what he described as illegal attempts that could harm California’s environment.
