Central Coast Oil Gas Plans Spark 45-Day Public Backlash Window
Published Date: 1/13/2026
Notice
Summary
The Bureau of Land Management just released a draft plan about oil and gas leasing and development along California’s Central Coast. This plan affects local communities, businesses, and the environment, and the public has 45 days to share their thoughts. There’s also a free online meeting coming up where anyone can join and learn more before decisions are made.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Preferred Alternative Opens Mineral Estate
The Draft Supplemental EIS identifies Alternative F as the preferred alternative under which all Federal mineral estate in the Central Coast planning area would be available for oil and gas leasing with Controlled Surface Use (CSU) stipulations, except for designated wilderness, wilderness study areas, Fort Ord National Monument, and the Clear Creek Serpentine Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The planning area encompasses approximately 284,000 acres of public land and 509,000 acres of Federal mineral estate.
Alternatives Could Restrict Leasing
The Draft Supplemental EIS analyzes alternatives (A–E) that would limit oil and gas leasing in certain areas (for example, closing National Conservation Lands, core population areas of the giant kangaroo rat, or areas within specified groundwater basins) and apply No Surface Occupancy (NSO) or Controlled Surface Use (CSU) stipulations to protect air, water, special status species, and recreation resources.
Two Lease Parcels: Stipulations and Appeals
The Draft Supplemental EIS addresses two issued but suspended lease parcels in the Central Coast Field Office that do not contain No Surface Occupancy stipulations; the BLM's proposed plan identifies implementation-level stipulations for resource protection for each of these two parcels, and those implementation decisions would be subject to appeal to the Interior Board of Land Appeals after a Record of Decision is signed.
45‑Day Public Comment and Webinar
The Bureau of Land Management released a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Central Coast planning area and is accepting public comments for 45 days after the EPA publishes its Notice of Availability. You can review documents online at the BLM ePlanning project page and must register in advance to join the single virtual public meeting.
Tribal Consultation Will Continue
The Bureau of Land Management will continue government-to-government consultation with Indian Tribal Nations and will give consideration to tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, during the Draft Supplemental EIS process.
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