1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose the Trump administration's proposed 5-Year Offshore Drilling Plan, which would open unprecedented stretches of U.S. coastlines to new oil and gas drilling. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is accepting public comments until Friday, January 23, 2026, and I ask that you submit formal opposition to this dangerous expansion. This plan threatens California coastlines, previously protected waters off Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska's pristine High Arctic where drilling has never been attempted due to extreme hazards. Offshore drilling is a dirty and dangerous practice that harms our environment, coastal communities, and local businesses that depend on healthy oceans. The expansion would also accelerate climate change at a time when we need to reduce fossil fuel dependence. The justification for this plan does not hold up to scrutiny. The United States has been a net oil exporter since 2020 and achieved all-time high domestic oil production in 2024. New oil and gas leasing is simply unnecessary to meet our national energy needs. This expansion serves corporate interests at the expense of public welfare and environmental protection. With government oversight agencies like the EPA and NOAA weakened by budgetary and staffing cuts, elected officials must serve as a critical line of defense for ocean and coastal protection. Past efforts have successfully stopped offshore drilling expansion when thousands of people spoke up. I am counting on you to add your voice in opposition. I request that you publicly oppose this 5-Year Offshore Drilling Plan and submit comments to BOEM before the January 23, 2026 deadline. Our coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and climate future depend on leaders who will stand against this reckless expansion of offshore drilling.