The Trump administration has launched a new review of the California Coastal Commission and other powerful coastal watchdogs, a move that several state leaders and environmental activists worry could undermine the state's authority to protect its precious coastline.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently ordered the review, calling some of the state's efforts to regulate federal projects “environmental extremism.”
“California has repeatedly and baselessly obstructed spaceport development,” Lutnick wrote. He said previous assessments had not adequately considered the economics and outlook of federal officials, particularly “as it relates to offshore oil production, pipeline maintenance and desalination.”
The review will be conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and will examine the decades-old California Coastal Management Program, a voluntary federal-state partnership established through the Coastal Management Act. The program gives states the ability to review, regulate and provide input on federal projects that affect their coasts, but not broad veto power.
The California Coastal Commission, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission implement the California program in coordination with NOAA.
These types of assessments are done periodically, but this one comes shortly after the Biden administration completed its own review. It also comes as the Trump administration pushes an agenda that could have major impacts along the California coast, including expanding offshore drilling and increasing rocket launches.
“For decades, coastal states and the federal government have worked together to effectively manage our coasts,” California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said in a statement. “Now, the Trump administration is launching a new attack on that collaborative relationship… Our $51 billion coastal economy serves as a powerful engine for the state's prosperity, and the people of our state must keep a seat at the table to protect it.”
Depending on the results of the review, state officials said the Trump administration could cut millions in funding for the California Coastal Management Program, or reduce its influence in reviewing potential environmental hazards.
The Trump administration remains at odds with California over the direction of the state's coastline, a fight that has become most evident along the coast of Santa Barbara County, where a Houston-based oil company has used Trump's influence to usurp state environmental oversight (including the California Coastal Commission) to revive a long-dormant offshore oil operation.
On Friday, NOAA released its official notice of the review, which includes receiving public comments and hosting three public meetings. The only in-person meeting will be held on August 10 in Santa Monica, while two virtual meetings will be held on August 10 and 12. Public comments can be submitted until August 22.
The review has caused a stir in the environmental community. Defenders of Wildlife, a national nonprofit, called it “a clear attempt by the Trump administration to target one of California's most effective tools to protect its iconic coastline,” and fears it could send a message to other states.
“This unnecessary review sends a clear message to California and other coastal states: Challenge the administration's priorities and your coastal management program may become the next target,” read a statement from Stephanie Altman, senior energy and biodiversity specialist at Defenders of Wildlife.
While the coastal management program does not give states authority to override federal officials, it has provided “significant oversight of federal projects, as well as federally permitted or licensed projects that may impact the coast,” according to a statement from the state's natural resources agency. Such oversight may include ensuring that companies have plans for oil spills or undertake restoration efforts after development.
In recent years, the program made headlines when the California Coastal Commission raised repeated concerns about a major increase in Space X launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The concerns did not stop the launches, but the agencies were able to reach an agreement for federal officials to better monitor wildlife around the base and implement a lighting management plan.
At a recent meeting of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, Chairman Zack Wasserman condemned the review and said it was likely motivated by politics, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.
“Unfortunately, this is another step in our current federal administration's efforts to impose by decree and not by legislation,” Wasserman said.
