No Fracking Way, DCOR

In a resounding victory for the California coast, the Commission unanimously objected to the first offshore fracking project in federal waters it has ever considered. DCOR, the largest operator of remaining offshore oil platforms in California, sought Commission approval for hydraulic fracturing on 16 oil wells at Platform Gilda, roughly nine miles off the Ventura County coast. Because federal waters are not subject to California’s fracking ban, the Commission reviewed the proposal through its federal consistency authority under the Coastal Zone Management Act.

DCOR proposed fracking up to six wells per year over five years to raise production from about 1,100 barrels a day to 4,000. Platform Gilda has been operating for 45 years, more than double the lifespan projected when the Commission first approved it in 1981. The same aging wells, platform, and 45-year-old seafloor pipeline would carry four times the current volume of oil.

Staff found the project would increase both the likelihood and the severity of a spill in the Santa Barbara Channel, an area that includes a National Marine Sanctuary, a National Park, more than a dozen marine protected areas, critical habitat for endangered whales, and some of the most productive fishing grounds in the state. Staff also found that DCOR had not shown its spill response plan could effectively contain and clean up an actual spill, and identified gaps in the analysis of fracking fluid releases, pipeline ruptures, earthquake shaking, and fire risk.

The Commission received more than 3,000 correspondence items from Tribal, environmental, and community organizations and from individuals, all opposing the project or offshore oil expansion. Commissioners voted unanimously to object.

The California coast is a resource of extraordinary and immeasurable value to the people who live here and visit, as well as to marine life and the entire food chain. Oil spills threaten ALL OF IT. 

The economy and lifestyle of this entire region rely on one thing: a healthy coastline. The fishing grounds around Platform Gilda alone generated nearly $12 million in commercial landings over the past decade. Channel Islands National Park drew 263,000 visitors and $25 million to local economies in a single year (2024). The beaches, harbors, dive sites, and surf breaks between Gaviota and Palos Verdes support a coastal recreation economy that runs year-round. 

Set against that is 14 million barrels of oil spread over 20 years, which amounts to less than one day of national oil consumption. The 2015 Refugio spill closed 138 square miles of fishing grounds, killed hundreds of birds and marine mammals, and cost the public 140,000 recreation days. It’s not worth the risk. Not even close. 

Standing up for the Commission's federal consistency authority matters now more than ever. The Trump Administration has ordered an unprecedented review of the program, citing obstruction of offshore oil production as a reason. This decision is exactly the kind of review that authority exists to make. Without it, there would not even have been a public process.

Check out some standout media coverage from the LA Times and the Santa Barbara Independent.