Oil wells Credit: BLM
October 31, 2026 - The California Legislative Central Coast Caucus have submitted the following letter to the Bureau of Land Management comment portal regarding the December oil and gas lease sale in Central California and the Central Coast.
The Honorable Doug Burgum
Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20240
SUBJECT: Opposition to the December Oil Lease Sale in California
Dear Secretary Burgum,
We, the members of the California Legislative Central Coastal Caucus (CLCCC), joined by our legislative colleagues from across the state, strongly oppose any new sales of public land in California for the purpose of oil extraction. Allowing these sales to proceed will jeopardize fragile ecosystems, imperil endangered animals, and harm the well-being of the millions of Californians who rely on these lands for their livelihoods.
The administration's proposal to auction off 43 parcels of land, totaling about 35,000 acres, in Kern, Kings, San Luis Obispo, and Fresno counties is unnecessary and will harm critical environments, as around two-thirds of the land in these parcels directly borders the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Any oil spills in this region could contaminate the environment and jeopardize the endangered plant and animal species found within the monument.
The Carrizo Plain super bloom events regularly attract significant tourism to the area, with people from all over the nation traveling to the site to experience them. Increasing environmentally hazardous drilling operations in the area could jeopardize this fledgling industry and put the people of the region at risk.
Increased oil drilling in our state will contribute greatly to global climate change, leading to catastrophic weather events and global sea level rise. California is already experiencing these effects due to the record El Niño forecasted for this winter, which will cause increased cliff erosion and trigger massive flooding on the coast.
We will not jeopardize our environmental regulations here in California to conform to this administration's failure to secure an agreement with Iran. The administration has chosen to pursue this war with Iran, and the people of the country now must deal with the consequences of the conflict with no end in sight.
It is our responsibility as stewards of California's environment to protect and preserve our natural resources for generations to come, as well as to uphold California's commitments to its laws and people. Therefore, we respectfully urge the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management to halt any land lease sales in California for oil and gas production.
Sincerely,
DAWN ADDIS
Co-Chair, Central Coast Caucus
Assemblymember, 30th District
GREGG HART
Co-Chair, Central Coast Caucus
Assemblymember, 37th District
JOHN LAIRD
Vice Chair, Central Coast Caucus
Senator, 17th District
Source: Assemblymember Dawn Addis
