CC SR 20180821 D - Off-Shore Drilling Opposition LetterRANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/21/2018
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to sign a letter opposing off-
shore drilling
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
supporting the State Lands Commission’s opposition to off-shore drilling.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Kit Fox, AICP, Senior Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Gabriella Yap, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Doug Willmore, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Draft letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (page A-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On August 7, 2018, the City Council received an update on the status of the Federal
proposal to the issuance of leases for off-shore oil and gas drilling in Southern
California. The agenda report included a discussion of the State Lands Commission’s
opposition to this proposed program. The City Council directed Staff to continue to
monitor and report back periodically on the status of this proposal, and asked Staff to
prepared a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) supporting the
State Lands Commission’s opposition to the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and
Gas Leasing Program for 2019-2024. Staff has prepared such a letter for the City
Council’s review and approval (Attachment A).
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Direct Staff to revise the draft letter.
1
August 21, 2018
Kelly Hammerle, National Program Manger
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
4500 Woodland Rd., Mailstop VAM-LD
Sterling, VA 20166
SUBJECT: 2019-2014 National Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program
Dear Ms. Hammerle:
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes, California wishes to express its opposition to the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s proposal to open the Pacific Outer Continental
Shelf to new oil and gas leasing. While there are no existing lease areas in the channel
between Rancho Palos Verdes and Santa Catalina Island, the prospect of such future
activity is alarming. The channel is a busy shipping route between the ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach and those in Asia. It is also a major Pacific Coast migration
route for gray whales and other marine life.
In 2015, our city’s coastline was affected by tar balls originating from the Refugio oil spill
in Santa Barbara County. W e shudder to think about the effects that a leak or blowout
from an offshore platform much nearer to the City would have upon local marine wildlife
and marine recreation.
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports the position taken in opposition to this proposal
by the California State Lands Commission in the enclosed letter. We reiterate the
Commission’s request for the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf to be removed from this
program.
Sincerely,
Susan Brooks
Mayor
enclosure
cc: Ted Lieu, Representative, 33rd Congressional District
Dianne Feinstein, Senator
Kamala Harris, Senator
California State Lands Commission
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
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