Trump Adminstration

President Donald Trump is expanding the Interior Department’s authority over energy projects under the Defense Production Act. The order could affect the Central Coast where the administration has already invoked the federal law to support a pipeline restart off the Santa Barbara coast.

In a press release, Bonta said the Trump Administration is “more concerned with corporate interests than the health and safety of the American people.”

Californians have another chance this week to weigh in on a federal review of how the state manages development along its coastline. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) review comes amid growing tensions between the Trump Administration and state regulators over offshore oil and other coastal projects.

The Department of Interior agreed to pay an energy company more than $111 million to abandon plans to build offshore wind near Morro Bay.

California officials are urging residents to speak up about the future of who manages the state’s coastline. The push comes as a new federal review could reshape who has a say over offshore development.

The company behind the controversial restart of an oil pipeline on the Gaviota Coast is now asking the Trump Administration to help secure land to continue operations.

At an offshore wind summit this week in Southern California, State leaders said the industry is still moving forward with development off the Central and Northern Coast despite political and legal pushback at the federal level.

On the Central Coast, protests were held in Santa Barbara, Atascadero, Santa Maria, and more. The downtown San Luis Obispo rally was organized by local chapters of the activist groups Indivisible and 50501.

A nationwide day of “No Kings” protests is returning this weekend, with multiple demonstrations planned across the Central Coast.

A judge decided Tuesday morning to maintain restrictions on restarting a controversial oil pipeline along California’s Central Coast. The decision comes after environmental groups say the operator ignored a court order.