The Trump administration plans to evaluate the performance of the California Coastal Commission, escalating a dispute with Democratic state leaders over energy production. The U.S. Department of Commerce has accused California of 'environmental terrorism' for obstructing energy developments, including spaceport projects.
Federal Review of Coastal Management
Per federal law, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must review federally approved coastal management programs. The review assesses 'the extent to which the State of California has implemented and enforced the program approved by the [Commerce] Secretary.' In May, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick posted a letter calling for the evaluation, accusing California of hindering spaceport developments.
The Department of Commerce did not specify which spaceport proposals Lutnick referenced. California Governor Gavin Newsom has not commented on the evaluation.
SpaceX Launch Dispute
Last August, the California Coastal Commission denied a U.S. Space Force request to increase the number of SpaceX rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the central coast. Elon Musk's aerospace company sued the commission for political bias, settling the lawsuit in April.
Oil Production Conflict
California has also clashed with the Trump administration over oil production. While the state aims for a carbon-neutral electrical grid by 2045, the Trump administration has prioritized domestic oil production amid rising gas prices following the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. The administration invoked emergency powers to restart an oil pipeline that had been shut since a 2015 rupture spilled over 140,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta sought to block the plan, stating in a May news release: 'Let’s be clear: this illegal attempt from the Trump administration lets Sable profit at the expense of our environment and public health,' adding that the federal government was interfering with the state's 'sovereign authority.'
Offshore Wind Project Nixed
The state is also in a legal dispute over a canceled offshore wind project. California aims to develop 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045, but the U.S. Department of Transportation withdrew a nearly $427 million Biden-era grant for the project, which would have powered 25 million homes. Last week, Bonta sent a notice of intent to sue the Trump administration.
'California won’t stand idly by as the Trump Administration illegally strikes deals to kill offshore wind projects and replace them with more windfalls for his fossil fuel friends,' Bonta said in a statement.
