On August 13, the California Coastal Commission delivered a major victory, unanimously voting to object to a proposal to hydraulically fracture (“frack”) 16 wells at Platform Gilda, an aging offshore oil platform in the Santa Barbara Channel.
The decision protects California’s ocean from a dangerous attempt to revive offshore fracking—and demonstrates exactly why California needs a strong Coastal Commission with the authority to review federal projects affecting our coast.
In March, oil company DCOR, LCC submitted a proposal to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to frack at 16 existing wells on Platform Gilda, located roughly nine miles off the Ventura coast.
The proposal would have prolonged production from a platform that has already operated for approximately 45 years. Fracking would inject chemical fluids underground at high pressure to extract additional oil, introducing additional risks of spills, pollution, and harm to marine life.
The Santa Barbara Channel is one of California’s most ecologically important marine environments, supporting whales, sea turtles, seabirds, sea otters, fish, and productive commercial and recreational fisheries. California communities know all too well what happens when offshore oil infrastructure fails–and extending the life of aging infrastructure by fracking is simply not worth the risk.
Fortunately, the Coastal Commission agreed.
At the August meeting, held in Scotts Valley, commissioners unanimously objected to the proposal, citing concerns such as oil spill risk and aging infrastructure. More than 3,000 correspondence items were sent by Tribal, environmental, and community organizations and members of the public opposing the project or expanded offshore drilling. Other than DCOR, not one speaker at the hearing supported the proposal.
Surfrider worked alongside coalition partners including the Center for Biological Diversity, the Environmental Defense Center, Save Our Shores, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, the Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation, and Oceana, as well as Tribal advocates, coastal communities, and thousands of concerned Californians to oppose the project.
Surfrider joined coalition partners in submitting written comments urging the Commission to object. Matt Koller, our California Offshore Drilling Campaign Manager, and Jennifer Savage, our California Policy Associate Director, attended the hearing, offered public comment, and joined partners at a pre-meeting rally to highlight the risks of offshore fracking and the importance of the Commission’s authority.
Three chapters—Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Santa Cruz—mobilized members and volunteers, many of whom offered remarks before the Commission or submitted written comments opposing the project.
Collectively, we sent a clear message: Californians do not want fracking off our coast.
The Commission’s decision comes at a critical time for California’s coast. Just three days earlier, hundreds of Californians gathered in Santa Monica for a federal hearing on the Trump Administration’s extraordinary review of California’s Coastal Management Program. That review threatens the very authority the Commission used to evaluate and object to the Platform Gilda proposal.
Under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, the Coastal Commission has a critical role reviewing federal activities that affect California’s coastal resources. That federal consistency authority gives Californians a meaningful voice over decisions made in Washington that can have very real consequences here at home.
The Platform Gilda decision shows that process working exactly as intended.
Surfrider applauds the Coastal Commission for standing up for California’s coast—and thanks our chapters, members, volunteers, and coalition partners who helped secure this victory.
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As the California Offshore Drilling Campaign Manager, Matt leads Surfrider's campaign to prevent new offshore drilling along California's coast. He works across the federal and state policy landscape to advance science-based policies and strategic advocacy efforts that protect the Golden State's shoreline and ocean.