The Trump Administration is moving aggressively to expand the fossil fuel industry, undermine renewable energy, and promote mining for critical minerals under the auspices of enhanced national security. California has become a battleground in these efforts. The California coast has become ground zero with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s intent to sell offshore oil leases under a new 5-year plan, a Department of Commerce attack on the California Coastal Commission’s authority, and the Department of Energy’s application of the Defense Production Act to authorize  the re-opening of the Sable Offshore oil pipeline in southern California. President Trump has also issued Executive Order 14285 to advance mining for ‘critical minerals’ in  US federal waters and territories in response to geopolitical competition with China.

 

A massive effort is now underway across the state to push back on these efforts. As a complement to statewide and national advocacy, local onshore ordinances to impede offshore industry development are a critical component of the broader strategy to ensure Californians continue to have a voice in development decisions that will influence their coastal ocean, local economy, and the spiritual well-being of all residents for generations to come. 

 

In the 1980’s, Santa Cruz City leaders formulated a local strategy to counter then President Ronald Reagan’s push to expand offshore oil drilling across the California coast. In 1986, overwhelming majorities of city and county voters approved local measures that would require any land use changes to allow onshore facilities for offshore oil and gas development to be subject to a vote of the people. Save Our Shores successfully led an effort to secure 25 similar ordinances across the state, forming a “Blue Wall” that has kept the oil and gas industry at bay ever since. But these ordinances need to be legally modernized in the face of the current Administration and expanded to include emerging threats like seabed mining that were not anticipated four decades ago. 

 

Over the last nine months, Save Our Shores has once again led the effort to protect the Central Coast by modernizing and expanding  these Santa Cruz City and County onshore ordinances. The result  is ordinances that are more legally durable, better aligned with current state & federal law, protect core Santa Cruz assets, and target key infrastructure tied to offshore extraction. Importantly, they continue to ensure a vote of the people would be needed before offshore oil and deep-sea mining industries are allowed to build onshore infrastructure to support their offshore extractive activities. Santa Cruz County is required to seek voter approval of these changes on the November 2026 ballot. This ordinance is now officially known as Measure D. 

 

A public education and voter outreach campaign is now underway to ensure Santa Cruz voters are aware of what is at risk and support Measure D to protect our coast from ongoing and future threats of resource extraction. Directed by a volunteer committee of local leaders, the Stop the Drill Santa Cruz Campaign is actively working to build support for this important measure among local decision makers, coastal businesses, environmental advocates, and other Santa Cruz thought leaders.

 

Vote YES on Measure D to ensure local Santa Cruz voters continue to have a say in whether extractive ocean industries are allowed to do business in our community.