News Release: January 23 , 2026
Contact: Haley Ehlers – haley@cfrog.org, (805)263-7408
This month, the cities of Oxnard and Ojai joined the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, youth, and advocates calling on state and federal leaders to permanently prohibit offshore oil and gas leasing, deep seabed mining, and drilling on public lands.
Ventura County – This week, both the cities of Oxnard and Ojai passed resolutions in opposition to any new or expanded offshore oil and gas leasing, deep seabed mining off the Ventura County coastline, and drilling on federal public lands. Ojai and Oxnard join over 100 West Coast governments in opposition to offshore drilling, including San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Ventura counties who passed similar resolutions late last year.
On January 9th, the Ojai City Council unanimously passed the resolution in opposition to federal attempts to expand offshore and onshore drilling. Mayor Pro Tem, Rachel Lang, remarked that this resolution “is an important step for being on the right side of history; for doing everything we can to protect our environment.”
We know that fossil fuel pollution is linked to higher rates of asthma, heart disease, and other health issues, especially for communities closest to drilling and industrial sites…” stated Councilmember Michaela Perez, who introduced the Oxnard resolution at the January 20th meeting. “There is already a commitment by the state to phasing out gas drilling by 2045, opening new public lands and offshore areas to drilling moves us into the opposite direction. It keeps us dependent on fossil fuels and undermines our progress towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to renewable energy.”
After recounting his personal experience growing up in Ventura County and dealing with overwhelming smog and air pollution, Councilmember Bert Perello stated “I don’t want to go back to the way it was. With everything that’s going on in the world right now, I don’t think we need to open up the coast [to drilling]. With the accidents that have happened, I don’t see a reason to take more chances.”
The Oxnard resolution passed with a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Aaron Starr as the sole “no” vote.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s 11th National Offshore Leasing Program looks to propose 34 offshore oil lease sales through 2031, including six off the California coast. These would be the first federal oil and gas lease sales along the Pacific coast since 1984. The Bureau of Land Management’s plans for expanded oil and gas drilling on public lands includes over 800,000 acres across California’s Central Coast and Valley, including parcels in and around schools, wilderness areas, and public beaches across the state.
The Central Coast is no stranger to the threats of oil and gas drilling. Massive oil spills in 1969 and 2015 off the coast of Santa Barbara fouled coastal waters across the region and caused catastrophic economic and environmental damage, while climate change-fueled wildfires have devastated the region year after year. Significant portions of the proposed leasing areas, both onshore and offshore, intersect with biologically diverse landscapes, vital water sources, cultural and recreational lands, and densely populated communities.
A handful of residents and advocates spoke in appreciation and favor of the resolution. In Ojai, lifelong resident and environmental scientist, Woodrow Brown emphasised that “this [resolution] poses a great opportunity to stand in solidarity with many other cities across California… and to show that we care.”
Oxnard resident and youth leader with Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas (CFROG), Cesar Campos, highlighted the catastrophic impacts of previous offshore oil spills and stressed the importance of preventing further drilling. “Families who depend on fishing, like my own, will be directly affected … increasing drilling in Ventura County will not lower gas prices or make us energy independent,” Campos shared in his public testimony.