The Ventura County Board of Supervisors made a huge statement this week by voting unanimously to protect the local coastline. On December 16 the board decided to officially oppose any new or expanded offshore oil and gas leasing off the county coastline which stretches for 43 miles. They are also standing firmly against deep seabed mining because they believe these activities are way too dangerous for the local community.
⚓ Protecting the Local Economy and Military
Supervisors Vianey Lopez and Matt LaVere were the ones who brought this recommendation forward to the rest of the board. They are very worried about what could happen if the federal government allows more drilling near our shores. Lopez pointed out that our local economy relies heavily on things like tourism and fishing as well as all the business coming through the Port of Hueneme. A single oil spill could absolutely wreck those industries and cause massive financial pain.
There is also a major concern about our military operations. The coastline is home to Naval Base Ventura County which supports about 21,000 jobs. This base includes the largest sea range on the West Coast and adding oil rigs or mining equipment could seriously interfere with their important missions. LaVere mentioned that he has been talking to officials in Florida who are fighting the same battle because everyone agrees that protecting tourism and the military is a bipartisan goal.
🛢️ Historic Spills and Modern Risks
During the meeting several residents and environmental groups spoke up to support the ban. They reminded the board of the famous 1969 Santa Barbara Channel disaster which caused huge environmental damage. They also mentioned more recent spills like the 2015 Refugio incident and the 2021 Huntington Beach spill. These events cost millions of dollars to clean up and do lasting damage to marine life and local beaches.
The board also voted to join a revived coalition called the Local Government Outer Continental Shelf Coordination Program. This is a group of coastal counties that work together to fight federal drilling plans. By joining this group Ventura County will have more resources and a louder voice when the federal government tries to make new rules about drilling in the ocean.
⛽ The Reality of Oil Needs
Even though the vote was unanimous not everyone thinks we can just quit oil overnight. Supervisor Jeff Gorell pointed out that our economy still runs on oil and that producing it here in California can actually be safer than shipping it across the ocean. He said that transporting oil on huge tankers poses its own environmental risks.
However even Gorell agreed that expanding drilling right off our coast does not make sense. He said that the ship has sailed on offshore drilling and it would take something extraordinary to change his mind. While the federal government still has the final say over waters that are far from the shore the board is making it very clear that Ventura County will fight any attempt to put new rigs in our backyard.