Bill > AB1448

This bill amends California law to place additional restrictions and requirements on oil and gas development in coastal areas. Specifically, the bill expands existing regulations by requiring the State Lands Commission or local trustees to consider multiple factors when approving lease renewals, extensions, amendments, or assignments for oil and gas infrastructure, including potential impacts on marine environment, human health and safety, and public trust resources. The bill broadens the definition of "expanded oil extraction" to include reactivation of facilities that have been idle for more than three years or the use of unconventional extraction technologies like hydraulic fracturing. It mandates that offshore oil must be transported onshore by pipelines using the "best achievable technology" and requires onshore transportation to processing facilities also use the best available technology. The bill eliminates previous provisions allowing alternative transportation methods and requires a new coastal development permit for repairing or reactivating oil and gas facilities that have been inactive for three or more years. By imposing these additional requirements and duties on local government agencies, the bill creates a state-mandated local program. The legislation aims to increase environmental protections and scrutiny of coastal oil and gas development while potentially making such projects more difficult to approve and implement.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1448