The appeals court ruled that the federal government must complete a full environmental review before issuing such offshore permits.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday blocked fracking off the California coast, ruling that the federal government must complete a full environmental review before approving permits for such offshore oil drilling platforms.
“Today’s decision is a win for our communities, our environment, and the rule of law,” California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said in a news release. “Offshore drilling — particularly fracking — pollutes our waterways, damages our environment, and exacerbates climate change. We saw the risks of offshore drilling firsthand with theKristen Monsell, oceans program legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, called the ruling an “amazing victory for California’s coast and marine life.
The decision stems from a 2016 lawsuit brought by the state, the California Coastal Commission and environmental groups alleging that “federal agencies violated environmental laws when they authorized unconventional oil drilling methods on offshore platforms in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California,” according to court records.