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Federal Review Puts California’s Coastal Oversight at Risk

The Commerce-directed NOAA audit could narrow the state’s power to weigh in on federal coastal projects and expose its federally funded program to change or loss.

A surf competition gets underway at the Trestles surf break at San Onofre State Beach in 2016 The California Coastal Commission helped prevent a six-lane highway from being built through the area.
An oil and gas platform sits off the coast of Orange County, as photographed in March. The Trump administration is reviewing what role California regulators should have in scrutinizing coastal activities such as oil drilling. 
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into space from Vandenberg Space Force Base in April, as seen from San Diego. The California Coastal Commission reviews launch plans at the base to help limit impacts along the coast.
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Overview

  • In May 2026 the U.S. Department of Commerce ordered NOAA to re-review California’s federally approved Coastal Management Program with a focus on offshore oil, pipeline maintenance, deep seabed mining, desalination, undersea cables and spaceport infrastructure.
  • California officials formally opposed the review on Aug. 6, submitted state comments, and are urging residents to testify at NOAA’s in-person hearing on Aug. 10 in Santa Monica or at virtual meetings on Aug. 11–12 and to file written comments by the Aug. 22 deadline.
  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told NOAA the review responds to what he called a pattern of state obstruction of federal projects, language California leaders say signals a political push to ease approval for energy and infrastructure projects.
  • NOAA completed a positive draft assessment in June 2025 after a 2024 review, making the Commerce-ordered re-examination unusual and heightening state concern that the agency’s long-standing review role could be narrowed.
  • If federal officials revise or decertify the program they could remove grant funding and limit California agencies’ ability to condition or negotiate changes to federal projects, which could speed proposed offshore leasing, pipeline restarts and other developments with direct effects on coastal jobs, tourism and local control.