California Attorney General Rob Bonta has criticized the Trump administration’s proposal to allow offshore drilling along California’s coastline. In a statement released from Oakland, Bonta expressed strong opposition to the draft plan, citing concerns for environmental protection and public health.
“Time and again, President Trump has shown that his interest lies with his Big Oil friends profiting at the expense of our environment and public health. California takes our responsibility to steward our environment and natural resources seriously — we are not a rich man’s playground, and the President cannot come and extract resources as he pleases. California will not stand by while the Trump Administration marches in and make a mess of our coastal towns and waterways in order to line the pockets of its wealthy friends. The livelihoods of millions of Californians depend on the economies and industries supported by our coastal areas. My office stands fully opposed to this plan and is committed to protecting California’s natural resources,” Bonta said.
Earlier in June, Bonta joined other state attorneys general in sending a letter to federal officials opposing new offshore oil and gas drilling projects in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The coalition argued that pursuing such drilling poses unnecessary risks to marine environments for relatively small fossil fuel gains. They also pointed out that U.S. oil and gas production already exceeds domestic consumption, with exports surpassing usage, while demand for gasoline has been declining since 2019—particularly on both coasts.
