The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opened a public comment window on June 26 for its periodic evaluation of the California Coastal Management Program, accepting submissions through 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 22. Two San Mateo County supervisors used a Jan. 26 federal hearing in Santa Monica to press the agency to preserve state authority over offshore oil and gas activity off the Pacific coast.

What did the supervisors tell NOAA?

Supervisor Ray Mueller, whose district covers most of San Mateo County's coastline, testified during NOAA's performance review of the California Coastal Management Program. "I traveled here today to express support for the California Coastal Management Program and express our County's unequivocal opposition to the issuance of any offshore oil drilling leases and permits off our coast," Mueller said.

Supervisor Jackie Speier framed the coastline as an economic asset under threat. "Our coast is one of California's most valuable assets that defines the character of our state," Speier said. "It's an economic engine generating billions of dollars from tourism, recreation and maritime industries."

Speier extended that argument to federal direction. "We refuse to let the Trump administration dictate how California will use its iconic coastline," Speier said. "San Mateo County firmly rejects polluting offshore drilling rigs."

Mueller closed his remarks on the same theme. "Our coastline is not a resource to be extracted and discarded; it's our home, our economy and our enduring legacy," Mueller said.

What leases are at stake?

The NOAA review landed while the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management advanced its proposed 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, the multi-year plan that identifies federal waters for potential oil and gas leasing. In January, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to oppose the program, which identifies tracts off the county for possible future leasing.

• Program: BOEM 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program
• Status at time of county vote: proposed, not finalized
• County action: unanimous Board of Supervisors opposition, January
• Federal review trigger: NOAA Section 312 evaluation of California's coastal program

Why does the state program matter to operators?

The California Coastal Management Program gives state agencies a defined role in reviewing federal projects that could affect coastal resources. The list of covered federal activities includes:

• Offshore oil and gas development
• Pipeline maintenance
• Desalination projects
• Undersea cables

County officials warned that any weakening of the state program through the NOAA review would cut directly into the state's review footprint on Pacific OCS decisions.

The coastline at issue sits inside the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a federal designation that supports regional fisheries, marine wildlife habitat and the coastal communities of San Mateo County and points south.

What's the next milestone?

NOAA stated the review evaluates how California implements its coastal program and addresses coastal uses and resources. The agency is taking written comments through 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 22, with public meetings scheduled under the same Federal Register notice published on June 26.

Three watch items for upstream and downstream readers tracking Pacific OCS exposure:

• Aug. 22 — close of the NOAA comment period on the California Coastal Management Program
• Pending — BOEM record of decision on the 11th National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program
• Pending — any NOAA Section 312 finding on whether California is "adhering to and enforcing" its federally approved program

San Mateo County's testimony places county-level opposition on the record before both the NOAA evaluation closes and BOEM finalizes the next five-year leasing schedule.