A California invoice may finish offshore drilling for the state, although drilling additional out in federal waters close to the coast would nonetheless proceed. SB953 seeks a “relinquishment of the leases and termination of all oil and fuel manufacturing related to these leases” from the businesses nonetheless in operation. The invoice was introduced forth by state Sen. Dave Min within the wake of the October 2021 oil spill close to Huntington Seaside by which a pipeline operating from the Port of Lengthy Seaside to Platform Elly ruptured, sending 25,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean. The invoice cleared the Pure Assets and Water Committee on Tuesday and has been re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee, so it could possibly be some time earlier than SB953 strikes any nearer to changing into legislation.
As soon as handed, it may take a minimum of a yearn and a half earlier than drilling ceases. Although 11 leases are energetic in state waters, simply three offshore oil and fuel platforms stay. The invoice would not impact the 23 platforms in federal waters, which incorporates Platform Elly. Advocates nonetheless imagine that SB953 may ship a robust message had been it to turn into legislation. “The one solution to forestall extra oil-related disasters just like the one we skilled in October of 2021 is to transition off of fossil fuels as shortly as attainable,” Pure Assets Protection Council Director of California Authorities Affairs Victoria Rome mentioned in a press launch. “SB 953 permits for negotiations with the trade on how you can voluntarily relinquish their state leases. If an settlement can’t be reached, the invoice requires termination of these leases with truthful compensation offered to the leaseholders.”
