Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Jackie Speier, District 1
Supervisor Ray Mueller, District 3
Subject: Opposition to Oil and Gas Development on Public Lands Managed by the United States Bureau of Land Management
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution conveying to the United States Department of Interior - Bureau of Land Management the County of San Mateo’s unwavering opposition to oil and gas development on public lands within the central coast field office planning area.
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BACKGROUND:
The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has filed a notice in the federal register asking for comment on the scope of an upcoming supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS). The SEIS would examine the impacts of oil and gas drilling on BLM-managed public lands and mineral estate in the central coast field office (CCFO) planning area, which includes the Counties of San Mateo, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Contra Costa, and parts of Fresno, Merced, and San Joaquin counties.
DISCUSSION:
In 2019, during the prior Trump administration, BLM approved an amendment to the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the CCFO planning area, and adopted a final EIS, that would have identified approximately 683,100 acres of BLM oil and gas federal mineral estate in the CCFO planning area as open to oil and gas development, including a BLM-managed federal mineral estate in the southern portion of San Mateo County. The final EIS analyzed several alternative projects that would have identified less BLM-managed land as open to oil and gas development, and the approved amendment to the RMP was not analyzed.
The EIS and RMP amendment was litigated, and through a settlement agreement BLM agreed to complete the SEIS to analyze all project alternatives. The purpose of the SEIS scoping process is to identify concerns, potential impacts, relevant effects of past actions and possible alternative actions.
This Resolution restates the County’s longstanding opposition to onshore and offshore oil and gas development, and to notify the BLM that the SEIS should include an analysis of impacts in San Mateo County.
Should the County wish to seek future judicial review of the BLM’s ultimate approval of the final SEIS and RMP amendment, the County is required to participate in the SEIS process. This Resolution is proposed to ensure that the administrative record reflects the request of analysis at the County’s first opportunity for comment-the scoping of the SEIS.
The Trump Administration has a practice of novel interpretations of federal law. There are many federal land holdings in San Mateo County, most notably the lands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Although not currently BLM lands, the administration’s unpredictable legal actions make it prudent for the County to assert an interest in the evaluation of drilling based upon its exposure, over thousands of acres of federal holdings, to possible drilling activity.
Additionally, should the RMP amendment include other BLM-managed land in the adjacent lands of Santa Cruz County, including the substantial BLM-managed lands in Davenport, effects upon San Mateo County could be significant and adverse, as set forth in the Resolution.
The Trump Administration has already proposed to authorize offshore drilling along the entire coast of California. Due to time constraints, a resolution in opposition to this proposal was not possible, but Supervisors Speier and Mueller joined in sending a letter for the record in opposition. That letter is attached to this memo.
The County Attorney has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Adopting this Resolution is consistent with the County’s long-standing and unwavering commitment to protecting San Mateo County residents and our majestic coastline from environmental impacts associated with oil and gas development and related onshore facilities along the coast in areas within or near San Mateo County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with adopting this Resolution.