The Trump administration on Jan. 26 took its first step toward offering new offshore oil and gas drilling leases in California, inviting industry nominations for potential sales in federal waters off the state’s central and southern coasts.
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a call for information, seeking input on potential lease areas for auctions as early as 2027.
The action follows Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s November order, “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” which directed the agency to scrap the Biden administration’s 2024–2029 leasing program and expand access to offshore resources.
“We’re taking the first step toward a stronger, more secure American energy future,” Matt Giacona, acting director of the bureau, said in a statement….