Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement after the Trump administration advanced plans to allow expanded oil and gas drilling on more than 800,000 acres of public lands in Central California:

“Despite overwhelming public opposition and repeated losses in the courts, President Trump still doesn’t get it: California doesn’t want new drilling off our coast or on our public lands.

“The president wants to allow offshore drilling that could pollute our waters, is trying to block state efforts to regulate oil sales in coastal zones and now wants to open sensitive public lands to fracking. On top of that, President Trump has disregarded the law and has withdrawn regulations for methane pollution and well safety, heightening the risk for disaster.

“President Trump’s pro-drilling policies are faulty and unnecessary and they will only make it harder to combat climate change. California won’t back down in the face of this blatant attempt to give oil and gas companies access to our public lands.”

Background

Senator Feinstein has consistently worked to block the Trump administration’s attempts to expand oil and gas drilling. Last week, she introduced the West Coast Ocean Protection Act, legislation to permanently ban offshore drilling in federal waters off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington.

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