A broad coalition of Tribal leaders, elected officials, business owners, environmental advocates, fishers, and coastal residents gathered in Costa Mesa this week to voice strong opposition to the federal government’s proposal to expand offshore oil and gas drilling along California’s coastline. According to a December 8, 2025, news release from Orange County Coastkeeper, more than 100 people attended a community “people’s hearing” organized by Coastkeeper, the Surfrider Foundation, and Oceana. The gathering served as a unified call to protect Southern California’s waters, fisheries, beaches, and economies from the risks posed by new offshore drilling.
The event began with a detailed presentation outlining the U.S. Department of the Interior’s proposal to open vast areas of federal waters to new offshore oil and gas leasing. The plan includes the entire California coast, the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and the Arctic. Organizers walked attendees through the timeline and process for submitting official public comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management before the January 23, 2026, deadline.
Following the presentation, a long list of speakers stepped forward to give remarks, including U.S. Representatives Dave Min and Ted Lieu, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, California Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie Norris, California Coastal Commissioner Ray Jackson, Costa Mesa Councilmember Arlis Reynolds, business leaders, environmental groups, Tribal representatives, coastal recreation advocates, and commercial fishers…