Governor Newsom condemns and vows to fight Trump for exploiting Iran war crisis of his own making to harm California’s coastline

In January, the State Fire Marshal in Governor Newsom’s Administration, along with Attorney General Rob Bonta, challenged the Trump administration’s attempt to federalize these pipelines and bypass state oversight, and in a separate case in state court in Santa Barbara, a judge has issued an injunction barring Sable from restarting until all state approvals are secured and recently denied Sable’s request to lift that injunction. Additionally, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney has brought criminal charges against Sable for alleged violations of California water-protection laws.

California will take prompt legal action to enforce these binding court orders and state law against Sable, and to challenge the Trump Administration’s unlawful reliance on emergency powers. A presidential executive order cannot override state law. Additionally, Sable currently lacks legal permission for its pipeline to cross Gaviota State Park in Santa Barbara County because its agreement with the State terminated in 2016, and Sable may not keep or operate its pipeline on State property without the State’s permission.

Trump’s power grab would have zero impact on gas prices

Trump admitted he knew his Iran war would send gas prices up. Americans are now paying more than $1.5 billion extra at the pump this week alone, with prices still climbing. His answer is a pipeline that would contribute just 0.05% to total global crude oil production, and that represents less than 0.3% of the petroleum products that are trapped in the Persian Gulf because of Trump’s war. That is a drop in the bucket that will solve the crisis he created. 

Oil trades at a worldwide price. American crude sells to the highest bidder, not at a discount for American consumers. Prices are surging because Trump’s military strikes on Iran have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, trapping an estimated 20% of the global oil supply in the Persian Gulf. Every $10-per-barrel increase in crude translates to roughly 24 cents more per gallon, which hits drivers Texas, Florida, California — and everywhere else.   

The only thing that will actually stabilize global oil markets — and thus gasoline prices for American drivers — is reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But Trump has offered no plan to do that. The U.S. cannot drill its way out of a crisis of the President’s own making.

Where in-state crude oil production is helpful, however, Governor Newsom and the Legislature have advanced their own plan: SB 237 (2025) — the same bill that imposes heightened safety requirements on offshore pipelines — also increases onshore crude oil production in Kern County, boosting domestic crude availability as California manages its long-term energy transition while maintaining strong health and environmental safeguards. Already this year under SB 237 (2025), Kern County has issued 385 oil well permits, and the California Geologic Energy Management Division has approved 138 permits for drilling new oil wells. 

The cost of offshore oil and gas drilling: dead wildlife, devastated communities, billions of dollars in damages

This isn’t Trump’s first attempt to put California’s coast at risk for the benefit of Big Oil. In January, Governor Newsom joined the governors of Oregon and Washington to formally oppose Trump’s plan to open the California coast to new offshore oil and gas drilling for the first time in decades. Well blowouts, pipeline ruptures, and catastrophic spills are inherent risks of offshore oil and gas drilling, not isolated incidents. These disasters cost billions of dollars, take decades to remediate, and cause devastating impacts to marine ecosystems and coastal communities that depend on a clean, sustainable ocean environment for their livelihoods. These aren’t hypothetical risks. They’re California’s reality. A few notable, major oil spills off the Golden State’s coast include:

• 2021 Amplify Spill, Huntington Beach: approximately 25,000 gallons of crude oil spilled; Amplify charged $210 million in civil and criminal penalties, $12 million in criminal fees, and an additional $18 million in criminal fees and cleanup costs.

• 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill: Over 4.2 million gallons spilled from a platform blowout, prompting the launch of the modern environmental movement.