CenCal Opposes Draft Offshore Drilling Plan
Derek Suring | Published on 2/20/2026
To Whom It May Concern:
The Central California Council of Dive Clubs, Inc. was created in 1959. It is a tax exempt nonprofit incorporated in California – aka/dba CenCal. It is recreational skin/scuba diver organization. It’s domain is California north of the San Luis Obispo County line. It is dedicated to the principles of safety, conservation, access, wise and equitable legislation, underwater sports and furthering knowledge of the marine environment. The Council offers at least one marine science scholarship a year to California divers in California colleges/universities.
CenCal has served on the RAAC; successfully sued Pacific Grove for access at Lovers Point; opposed commercial abalone fishery north of the Golden Gate; supported Prop 132; supported creation of Coastal Commission; and continues to voice the concerns and rights of divers.
The point and purpose of this letter is to strenuously object to the November 2025 draft plan proposing opening the California coast to offshore drilling.The plan identified 6 potential lease sale along California shoreline starting in 2027.
Communities have already experienced the devastating impacts of offshore drilling firsthand. From public health harms caused by toxic pollution and extreme weather, to threats to industries that coastal economies rely on, which generate billions in revenue and support millions of jobs, this plan comes at the grave expense of people’s health, safety, livelihood – the cost is far far too high. AndCalifornia is far far too familiar with environmental ramifications of offshore drilling. The Santa Barbara 1969 catastrophic oil spill proved there is no way to drill for oil without causing devastating impacts to the coast – the risk is called ‘unacceptable.’ The spill damaged more than 90 miles of coastline and impacted at least 935 square miles of ocean. The spill dumped 4.2 million gallons of crude oil, but even smaller spills cause major harm.
California coast has one of the 5 most biodiverse and productive marine ecosystems supporting fisheries, tourism and coastal livelihoods.Among the many mostly untouched places targeted in the proposal is the California coastline, which hasn’t seen an offshore oil sale since 1984. Introducing new oil drilling here puts the entire Pacific Ocean ecosystem at risk.
The Pacific is teeming with biodiverse ecosystems that are home to rare turtles, orcas, thousands of seabirds, whales, and countless other forms of marine life. All of these would be threatened by oil and gas drilling, as well as the millions of people who depend on these ecosystems for everything from food to jobs to tourism to recreation.
The Interior Department has a legal obligation to consider the potential effects of offshore drilling on both human and ecological environments. The offshore areas of Alaska, the Gulf Coast of Florida, and the entire California coast do not need any new oil rigs. This administration is trying to force offshore oil drilling onto communities that do not want it in their public waters.
There is no “energy emergency.” The U.S. is already producing more oil than any other nation in history, the majority of which gets exported. Moreover, the oil industry has already leased millions of acres of public waters, and the vast majority of active leases have yet to start producing oil and gas.
The state of California will not accept the new proposal and neither does the CenCal Dive Council.
Sincerely, Carol RoseSecretary, Acting President CenCal Dive Council
Carol Rose
Sonoma CA 95476
650 224 8353