Trump administration launches federal review to curb California coastal commission and boost oil projects

The Trump administration intensified its push for more oil in California by initiating a federal review of the state’s coastal management program, long overseen by the California Coastal Commission. Environmental advocates warn the review could strip the commission of its role in reviewing federal projects that impact cliffs, beaches and surf zones. Concurrently, the administration announced new offshore oil leases in California and Florida and assisted a Texas company in reactivating a pipeline that had been idle after a 2015 rupture that polluted 150 miles of coastline.

Federal officials have also taken steps toward authorizing fracking on a decades-old offshore platform near Ventura County, a proposal the commission opposed. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the review will examine how California handles spaceport launches, offshore drilling, pipeline maintenance and desalination projects. Critics say the effort reflects a broader strategy to replace renewables with fossil fuels, challenging California’s renewable-heavy energy mix and its push to reduce gasoline-powered vehicles.