Facing mounting opposition to its offshore drilling proposal, the Trump administration may limit coastal states' ability to fight oil and gas exploration.
The 1972 law is widely considered one of the most powerful tools states have to regulate activity off their coasts. It applies to all of the coastal and Great Lakes states, with the exception of Alaska.
Among other things, the administration appears to be considering limits to the scope of states’ review powers and a shorter period of time to process an appeal. The full extent of its plans is unclear. In practice, this means that activity in federal waters that would otherwise not be open to extensive public scrutiny can be subjected to hearings and local environmental impact assessments.
In 2007, the state blocked a proposed liquefied natural gas port that would have floated 14 miles offshore from Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The project was ultimately abandoned after a state review found it posed significant risks to air quality and marine life. This is not the only states’ rights battle California is fighting with the Trump administration, which is also seeking to end California’s unique ability to set fuel-economy standards for cars higher than the federal level.
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