BAKERSFIELD, Calif., June 25 (Our California Times) — Federal land managers have approved a new plan to restart oil and gas leasing on public lands in California’s Central Coast region, reopening a long-running energy fight after years of environmental review and litigation.
The Bureau of Land Management said the decision, released this week, is based on a supplemental environmental impact statement and fulfills a December 2022 settlement agreement. The agency said the action will allow leasing to resume in its Central Coast Field Office.
The BLM said the decision covers public lands in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, along with portions of Fresno, Merced and San Joaquin counties. The agency said the update is consistent with Secretary’s Order 3418, which supports federal direction to expand domestic energy opportunities.
KQED reported that the decision opens 722,000 acres of land to new oil and gas leases across the Central Coast. Earlier BLM plans in 2019 opened more than 1 million acres to drilling and fracking in eight Central California counties, according to the agency’s record of decision and KQED reporting.
The BLM did not say in its announcement whether any leases have been sold or any wells have been approved. The agency’s decision adds to a broader federal push to revive leasing on public lands in California after years of court challenges and policy shifts.
