Key facts
- The Trump administration will evaluate the California Coastal Commission's performance.
- The evaluation stems from disputes over energy production and coastal management.
- The Department of Commerce accused California of obstructing spaceport developments.
- California's attorney general is opposing federal plans to restart an oil operation.
- A federal grant for a proposed offshore wind project was withdrawn.
The Trump administration is intensifying its conflict with California over energy production by initiating an evaluation of the California Coastal Commission. This move is the latest in a series of disputes between the state's Democratic leadership and the federal government concerning energy policies.
Under federal law, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is tasked with reviewing federally approved coastal management programs. The Department of Commerce, led by Secretary Howard Lutnick, has called for this evaluation, accusing California of obstructing energy projects, specifically mentioning spaceport developments. The Commerce Department has not specified which spaceport proposals were referenced.
This federal action follows previous clashes. Last August, the commission denied a US Space Force request to increase the number of SpaceX rocket launches from a central coast base. SpaceX subsequently sued the commission for alleged political bias, a lawsuit settled in April.
California has also been at odds with the administration over oil production. While the state aims for a carbon-neutral electrical grid by 2045 and promotes renewable energy, the federal government has pushed for increased domestic oil production. The administration invoked emergency powers to reactivate an oil operation that had been shut down since a 2015 rupture. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has vowed to block this plan, asserting that it prioritizes corporate profits over public health and infringes on the state's sovereign authority.
Furthermore, California is engaged in a legal battle over a canceled offshore wind project. The state had a goal to develop 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045, but a nearly $427 million grant from the US Department of Transportation was withdrawn, hindering these plans. Bonta has issued a notice of intent to sue the Trump administration over this decision, accusing them of undermining clean energy projects in favor of fossil fuel interests.