The Trump administration on Friday said it would be reviewing the powers of the California Coastal Commission, a state agency entrusted with preserving the coast and a frequent target of the president.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced a formal performance evaluation of the agency as well as other bodies that oversee California’s 840-mile coast. It will consider their stewardship of “spaceport infrastructure, offshore oil production, pipeline maintenance, desalination projects, and undersea cables.”
The review could lead to a loss of funding for the Coastal Commission or other actions that could limit the state’s powers.
The shoreline is one of California’s most valuable resources, a draw for tourists and locals alike as it stretches from mossy redwood forests in the north to palm-tree-studded beaches in the south. Voters created the commission in the 1970s to maximize public access to the coastline — fundamental to the idea of California.
But the deep blue state’s laws and agencies that limit development along the coast have often been a thorn in the side of President Trump. He has repeatedly and publicly castigated the Coastal Commission, which once tried to stop him from erecting a 70-foot flag on a golf course he owns near Los Angeles. The agency has also clashed with Elon Musk, a Trump ally, over the frequency of SpaceX rocket launches off the coast.
Most recently, the state in March sued the Trump administration for jump-starting an oil pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara by invoking the Defense Production Act, a 1950s-era law that has typically been used in national emergencies.
The investigation announced Friday comes after a letter the U.S. Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, wrote to Kevin Hassett, the director of the White House National Economic Council. In it Mr. Lutnick criticized California for impeding federal priorities, particularly spaceport development and offshore oil production. The formal review calls for public meetings in August to seek input on California agencies’ actions.
In the letter, Mr. Lutnick said California had a “long record of obstructing technological innovation, economic development, and related Federal efforts in the name of environmental extremism.”
He added, “Under my leadership, I say this: No more.”
The Trump administration has been particularly interested in increasing oil production in California, which was once one of the nation’s leading producers before the state cut back because of its environmental priorities.
Just this week, the Bureau of Land Management moved forward with a plan to allow more fossil fuel extraction in a swath of the state. The Trump administration has also been working on plans to permit offshore drilling in California for the first time in decades.
The administration will be reviewing California’s compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act, a 1972 federal law under which states develop programs to manage the seashore. Under the law, states review federal projects so that they comply with state regulations.
It’s unclear what effect the review could have. The federal government provides only about 10 percent of the commission’s $35 million budget.
“For decades, coastal states and the federal government have worked together to effectively manage our coastlines” said Wade Crowfoot, California’s secretary for natural resources, in a statement. “The Trump administration is launching a new attack on that collaborative relationship.”
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