Urges State Lands Commission to Join Litigation Challenging the Presidents’ Executive Order and Protect California Coastline
SACRAMENTO — Today, State Controller Malia M. Cohen, Chair of the State Lands Commission, called for an emergency session of the State Lands Commission in response to the Trump Administration’s orders directing Sable Offshore Corp. to restart offshore oil operations on California’s coast.
Controller Cohen urges the Commission to join Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta in challenging Sable’s reliance on the Trump Administration’s exercise of authority purportedly under the Defense Production Act, and to direct Commission staff to terminate the lease if Sable chooses to operate the platform without all required state regulatory approvals.
“As Chair of the State Lands Commission, I am committed to ensuring every individual that uses state lands follows the full letter of law. The State Lands Commission has jurisdiction over the public trust lands and tidelands that this pipeline crosses, and any attempt to circumvent our state’s laws or sovereignty will not go unchallenged. California — not Washington, and certainly not a private oil company — has the authority to determine what happens on our public lands and waters. Our sovereignty is not negotiable.”
“We cannot in good conscience sit idle to such action and allow the President, or any individual acting under direction of the President, to flout California laws and legal systems to commandeer oil pipelines and facilities squarely within California’s regulatory authority. The motivation for the administration’s actions appears to be a thinly veiled attempt toward achieving an upper hand in the midterm elections.”
Controller Cohen noted further that the oil platform in question sits squarely within California’s regulatory authority and is reinforced by a Consent Decree entered into on March 13, 2020 by the United States, various agencies of the State of California, and Sable’s predecessor, Plains All American Pipeline.
“This deliberate and intentional disregard for established safety, environmental, and legal processes established through the Consent Decree raises serious concerns about risk management and fiscal accountability. California cannot afford to expose one of our most valuable public assets, our coastline, to unnecessary risk that could ultimately result in billions of dollars in economic damage and public costs.”
The State Controller serves as Chair of the State Lands Commission in even numbered years.
As the chief fiscal officer of the fifth-largest economy in the world, California State Controller Malia M. Cohen independently oversees and manages the state’s financial resources with integrity and transparency to build trust. Controller Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. She has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds. The Controller is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds. Follow the California State Controller’s Office on X, Facebook, and YouTube at @CAController and on Instagram at @CaliforniaController.
