Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Gov. Brown calls Trump official to say: No drilling off CA
Listen
• 0:39
A rare and endangered blue whale spouts near offshore oil rigs after a long dive on July 16, 2008 near Long Beach, California.
(
David McNew/Getty Images
)
Gov. Jerry Brown urged U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke to spare California’s coastline from offshore drilling in a phone call on Friday. The two men spoke a week after the federal agency decided to open the Pacific coast to drilling for the first time in more than 30 years.
Many other coastal states were included in Secretary Ryan Zinke’s offshore drilling plan, including Florida. But on Tuesday, Zinke announced he was removing Florida to protect the state’s coast and tourism industry. Zinke made the exemption at the urging of Florida's Republican governor, Rick Scott.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Zinke said he was sparing Florida because “local voice matters” and because its coasts are “heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver.” The statement prompted outrage from California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, who questioned how California was any different. “If that’s your standard, we, too, should be removed from your list. Immediately.”
Support for LAist comes from
On Friday, Gov. Brown spoke with Secretary Zinke for 20 minutes and urged him to treat California the same as Florida.
According to a spokesman, Brown told Zinke his proposal to allow federal leases for offshore drilling directly contradicts California’s commitment to fight climate change. And it goes against the wishes of nearly 70 percent of Californians who oppose offshore drilling.
Drilling has been formally banned in California’s state waters, those three miles from shore, since 1994, and no new leases have been offered since the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. The last lease auction for federal waters was in 1984.
Gov. Brown’s phone call was one of many that Secretary Zinke reportedly has had with governors of other coastal states since his decision to remove Florida from the drilling plan. The Department of Interior did not respond to a request for comment on whether Zinke will change his mind.
The drilling plan is open for public comment until March 9, and there will be a public meeting in Sacramento on February 8.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs. -
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
Best of LAist