Title
Receive a preliminary response to Board Referral No. 2025.17 (Askew) regarding affirmation, through resolution, of the County of Monterey’s opposition to offshore drilling and seabed mining, and consider joining and financially contributing to the Local Government Outer Continental Shelf Coordination Program to ensure the local government perspective is not diminished in federal decision-making.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a preliminary analysis report in response to Board Referral No. 2025.17 (Attachment E), and;
b. Direct staff to proceed with the completion of its response to the referral based on the proposed project description in this report; or,
c. Direct that staff:
i. Proceed with completion of its response to the referral based on modifications by the Board; or,
ii. Return to the Board with a more comprehensive analysis of the referral and anticipated effort for completion
d. Rescind the referral; or,
e. Provide further direction, as appropriate.
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS:
Referral Summary: With the signing of Executive Order No. 14154 - Unleashing American Energy Act in January 2025, federal agencies moved quickly to open new offshore drilling opportunities. In April 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order No. 14285 - Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources, which promotes deep seabed mining, posing serious threats to California’s coastal economies, marine ecosystems, and climate goals. As a result, Santa Cruz County moved to re-establish the Local Governments Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Coordination Program and invited the County of Monterey to join. The original membership included the counties of Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Humboldt, as well as several cities -among them Santa Cruz, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach-and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).
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