Trump administration planning oil and gas drilling off the coast of California.

Question

The Trump administration is planning to allow oil and gas drilling on and around the California coast. Drilling in California waters has not been done in decades. According to many reports the plan of the oil and gas drilling includes six leases during the years 2027 and 2030 in addition to that they plan on expanding drilling in the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico. These changes shows a shift in the U.S. energy plans because drilling off the coast of California has been outlawed since a oil spill in Santa Barbra in 1969. The proposal of the drilling has begun to start conterversy due to high risks to costal communities and tourism. Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke about how he is strongly opposed to the plan and called it "dead on arrival" in Califonia while he was attending a climate change conferance in Brazil. Other climate and enviromental groups have also shown critizism towards the plan such as Surfrider Foundation, they argued that it casues destructive oil spills that would damage the coastline and local economies. Although unclear how much intrest the oil and gas intrusty would have in califonia when compared to the Gulf of Mexico, This situation shows the tenstion between federal energy goals and enviromental goals as well as larger debates over public saftety and economic develpoment.

Answer 1

After looking into this claim, I found that it is mostly accurate but missing important context. The Trump administration did propose expanding offshore oil and gas drilling and included areas off the California coast in a broader federal leasing plan. However, the claim does not fully explain that these were long-term proposals and that strong state opposition, environmental protections, and legal challenges made actual drilling in California unlikely.

BOEM is responsible for offshore oil and gas leasing. Their documents show that California waters were included in draft offshore leasing proposals, but these plans would have taken years to implement and were not guaranteed to move forward. https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing

The Department of the Interior released plans supporting expanded offshore drilling nationwide. These proposals show intent at the federal level but also acknowledge regulatory and legal hurdles. https://www.doi.gov/

The Guardian article explains the proposed drilling plans and highlights the backlash from California officials and environmental groups. It helped show how controversial and uncertain the proposal was. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/11/trump-administration-drilling-off-california

Reuters coverage helped clarify that offshore drilling proposals often face long timelines and legal resistance, especially in states like California. https://www.reuters.com/

Federal agencies under the Trump administration had an interest in promoting domestic energy development. News outlets like The Guardian may emphasize environmental concerns, while Reuters focuses more on policy process and outcomes. Looking at both helped balance perspective.

There is evidence that the Trump administration proposed expanding offshore oil and gas drilling and included California in draft leasing plans. These proposals were real and generated public controversy.

The claim implies that drilling was likely to happen, but California’s strong opposition, environmental laws, and legal challenges made actual drilling very unlikely. No new offshore drilling off the California coast ultimately took place.

The claim is based on reporting rather than a single individual’s statement, so I did not contact an original poster. The article itself includes statements from government officials and environmental groups.

Answer 2

I see this claim to be true. Having lived on the coast of California myself, I know for a fact that there are already oil plants close to the shore, along the PCH. There are also news sources such as PBS that have that information down. Gavin Newsom's statement is in almost every search about this plan, along with the "six leases during the years 2027 and 2030" offshore. I have no doubt that this claim is true. 

Sources:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-administration-proposes-new-oil-drilling-off-the-coasts-of-california-and-florida

Answer 3

This claim is true. There are many sources that do state this plan is happening.  https://www.ksbw.com/article/trump-admin-open-entire-calif-coast-oil-drilling/70095443 This news article from KSBW 8 states that the Trump Administration is actively selling off public lands for private exploitation on the California coast. The plan would include six offshore sales between 2027 and 2030, including expanding drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, according to The Guardian.  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/11/trump-administration-drilling-off-california Including these two sources, there are many articles and news reports supporting that this claim is true. There are different biases from different political parties, but they both state that this is true and actively happening, with many people trying to stop the drilling.
 

Answer 4

The Trump administration has proposed a significant expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling that would include areas off the coast of California. This plan, part of a broader five‑year federal offshore leasing program, would open California’s federal waters to lease sales and potential drilling for the first time in decades, with as many as six lease sales proposed between 2027 and 2030. The administration argues that expanding offshore drilling could boost domestic energy production, create jobs, and strengthen energy security. However, this proposal has drawn strong and widespread opposition from California leaders, environmental groups, and coastal communities. Critics say that offshore drilling threatens marine ecosystems, increases the risk of catastrophic oil spills, and endangers coastal economies that depend on tourism, fishing, and recreation. California officials also point out that state laws currently ban new offshore drilling in state waters, making the federal plan controversial and potentially conflicting with longstanding environmental protections. The debate highlights the tension between energy policy goals and environmental concerns, especially along California’s 1,110‑mile coastline where public sentiment and elected officials have consistently opposed new drilling activities.

Sources:

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/01/23/west-coast-governors-united-against-trumps-disastrous-offshore-drilling-plan/

Answer 5

This claim is true. The article claims that the Trump administration is planning to permit new oil and gas drilling on and near the California coast. This claim is supported by reporting on proposed offshore lease sales outline by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which include six potential leases, as well as expanded drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. These proposals represent a departure from longstanding federal and state opposition to offshore drilling in California, which has largely been prohibited since the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. The article also cites public statements from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who strongly criticized the proposal. Additionally, environmental organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation are referenced as sources of criticism. While the article acknowledges uncertainty regarding the level of interest from the oil and gas industry, it accurately frames the issue as part of a broader conflict between federal energy objectives and state-level environmental priorities. Overall, the claim is well supported by recognized environmental groups and backed by trusted government sources, making the reporting credible and grounded in reliable sources. Sources like The New York Times also reported on the issue, citing similar information.

The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/climate/offshore-drilling-california-trump-newsom.html

Answer 6

The Trump administration has proposed to permit oil and gas drilling off the California coast for the first time in decades, reversing protections put in place after the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill (The Guardian). California leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom and environmentalists fought back fiercely, contending the plan jeopardizes coastal towns, tourism and marine life. The situation actually highlights the continuing tension between federal energy expansion goals and California’s strong environmental priorities (The Guardian).