Assembly Votes Down Governor’s Offshore Oil Drilling Proposal

The plan would have opened up reserves off Santa Barbara's coast

By John Mann | Published on 07.24.2009

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The California Assembly on Friday defeated Gov. Schwarzenegger’s offshore oil drilling proposal with a 43-28 vote.

Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara, led the charge in fighting the plan, which would have allowed the first new drilling lease in state waters since the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill.

“The governor made Santa Barbara a target for new oil drilling. I am proud that we rejected this insidious proposal,” Nava said. “The plan would have unraveled critical environmental protections, put the coast at risk and set a terrible precedent while the federal government is considering their five-year drilling plan for the outer continental shelf.”

The oil drilling proposal was designed to revive a lease that had been rejected by the State Lands Commission earlier this year and allow Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) to bypass the public environmental review process and gain access to oil reserves off of the Santa Barbara coast.

A thorough review by the attorney general and the State Lands Commission found the purported agreement to be unenforceable.

“The governor tried to set up a sham committee where he controlled two of the three votes, guaranteeing him the result he wanted,” Nava said. “Rejecting his scheme means the California coast is not for sale, and it tells the federal government that California remains steadfast in our opposition to offshore drilling.”

— John Mann is a spokesman for Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara.

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» Who does this guy represent? on 07.24.09 @ 08:11 PM

Thanks again PEDRO for being anti-anything that will help the economy.

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» ZB on 07.24.09 @ 09:03 PM

Thank You Pedro Nava!!  3 cheers for you and our coastline!

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» SB Common sense on 07.24.09 @ 11:01 PM

Where will the oil come from for you all to drive your cars and using plastics for the next 30 years until there is widespread EV use and plastic replacements?  Saudi Arabia.  Great. Bunch of morons. Import more oil. Its ironic that Pedro is so worried about the beaches, the same beaches that are cleaner today than 50 years ago because offshore oil production has been drying up the natural oil seeps that have polluted SB beaches for over 100,000 years. Why doesn’t Nava ever talk about why the beaches have less oil and tar on them than 50 years ago? Because it would interfere with his fear-mongering. Way to go Pedro.

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» Sone on 07.25.09 @ 01:05 AM

so now more State budget cuts of critical services?

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» b_reynaldo on 07.25.09 @ 06:34 AM

I hope Latino voters will stop supporting Nava on the basis of racial solidarity and realize he is destroying their jobs and California’s economy.

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» local on 07.25.09 @ 07:10 AM

This is very good news! However, unfortunately left out of the budget negotiations was a provision to levy an extraction tax on the oil companies already offshore drilling in California. This would have raised substantial revenue to the state. They have an extraction tax in every other state in the U.S. including Florida, Texas and Louisana so why not? It seems only fair.

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» Walter Clapp on 07.25.09 @ 07:35 AM

Voting this down was the stupid!  Technology has gotten to the point where this would have been totally safe for the environment and the oil produced could have paid all of California’s bills!  What were they thinking?  They evidently want to continue wasting the natural oil that we have seeping up through our ocean water every day.  Drilling would actually improve the environment and provide an answer to California’s problem!  I suppose with a Democratic Assembly and a gentleman like Nava, I shouldn’t be surprised!

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» Carol Kallman on 07.25.09 @ 08:34 AM

What is wrong with our elected officials - especially our representative, Pedro Nava?
We need the oil reserves off our coast -  I have lived in Santa Barbara my entire life and I can tell you that there is less tar on the beach now then there was when I was a kid.  I guess Nava and company don’t think California needs the revenues either.

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» C-ya Pedro and good riddance on 07.25.09 @ 11:05 AM

Pedro is just a fool trying to gain political points by doing what he thinks is popular. I can’t wait for the surprise when he finds out he just screwed himself for the next election, because everyday there are more and more jobless who don’t give a rip about this silly notion that more drilling is somehow going to be a detriment to a state that is quickly going down the economic tubes. Did he have an alternate proposal for raising revenue? Because the only legitimate reason to be against something that will save our state is to have a better idea. We don’t send representatives to just sit on their butts and OPPOSE stuff, especially when it’s something that most of us think is a good sound and necessary idea..

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» Common Sense on 07.25.09 @ 11:22 AM

What are they thinking? They tie California’s hands. leave much needed resources to seep out onto the beaches,steal from local governments, financialy break the State and will cause us to pay more at the pumps while we buy oil from countries that hate us. Now he wants to be Attorney General? Throw all the bums out !

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» Liberals have Bankrupt calif on 07.25.09 @ 11:33 AM

The unions in Government have bankrupt our state, and we need to drill are way out—Drill baby Drill..

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» AN50 on 07.25.09 @ 11:46 AM

How is this good news, Local? How does this help our coastline, ZB? When you two have gone back to school (try one where professors teach rather than indoctrinate) and learned economics 101, we can then debate your tried and true left wing talking points. Until then, parroting the same old tired crap just sounds more pathetic and hollow as we see our state bankrupted by the likes of you.

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» John Locke on 07.25.09 @ 01:29 PM

Very stupid and short-sighted decision.  The only good news here is that the oil will still be there when the environuts, unable to buy fuel, realize the need.  Or, more likely, when some foreign company slant drills into the Santa Barbara deposits and sells us our own oil at a ridiculously high price.  Smart.  Real smart.  BTW, Das supports Pedro’s position - another in a long list of reasons not to vote for Das.

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» SBres on 07.25.09 @ 09:51 PM

I know this is controversial to say, but I think it is pretty stupid to say no to any sources of revenue at this point.

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» Pedro schmedro on 07.27.09 @ 03:03 AM

Pedro seems to be very proud of fighting against the governor that the PEOPLE elected! The girly man has been a huge disappointment, I was hoping for better from him. However with people like Pedro around, maybe ya gotta give him a break.

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» GOO GEEKS from the Tar Pits on 07.27.09 @ 03:08 AM

I think it’s a lot less controversial than you think SBres. The political climate on offshore drilling has changed drastically as pepople pay more for gas and lose their houses and jobs and the state, city, schools and counties go broke. And the politicians haven’t even noticed yet. They should all get reasdy for a rude awakening next election. THIS IS NOT 1969 ANYMORE!!!!

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» Pedro is a douche on 07.27.09 @ 11:13 PM

This Pedron Nava character has even got involved in some of the city politics down here in Ventura.  Personally, I think this guy has no idea what is good for the economy, yet het sits in a position of power.  Does he drive a hybrid vehicle?  I bet he drives a HUGE SUV that sucks down gas like its going out of style.  Good job on holding this economy back, Pedro Nava.  Ok, I am thoroughly peeved.

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» The funny thing is on 07.28.09 @ 09:43 AM

Pedro thinks his views are popular.

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