California Coastal Commission Rejects Offshore Fracking Proposal
The California Coastal Commission has voted against a proposal from DCOR LLC to initiate fracking on an existing oil platform off the coast of Ventura, California. This decision, made on August 13, does not completely eliminate the proposal but presents significant challenges as the federal government seeks to enhance oil production in federal waters off Southern California.
The proposal aimed to increase oil output from 1,100 barrels per day to 4,000 at Platform Gilda, located nine miles southwest of Ventura. The Coastal Commission's decision aligns with a staff recommendation from June, which indicated that the fracking plan could heighten the risk and severity of oil spills, citing past failures of proposed spill prevention measures.
The commission criticized the federal government for attempting to bypass California's restrictions on fracking in federal coastal waters, which have been in place since 2018. Environmental advocates, including the Center for Biological Diversity, supported the commission's decision, emphasizing the potential risks to marine wildlife and the coastal environment. The ruling complicates the project further, as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management cannot authorize fracking without addressing the raised concerns.