The Trump administration is moving to open nearly 2 million acres of California public land to oil drilling and fracking including land right on the doorstep of Yosemite, Sequoia, and Pinnacles National Parks, Carrizo Plain National Monument, and national forests like Los Padres and Inyo.
This isn’t new, Trump first tried this in 2019. Environmental groups and the state of California sued, arguing the environmental reviews failed to account for the full impacts of fracking, habitat destruction, and air emissions. The courts agreed, and the plans were put on hold.
Now they’re back in January 2026, BLM released updated plans and environmental groups say they’re still inadequate. Nearly 200,000 Californians submitted public comments in opposition (thank you).
The proposal includes land near schools, parks, and drinking water sources. In Santa Barbara County alone, 40,000 acres of health protection zones (areas around homes, schools, and hospitals) are at risk of new oil and gas development.
The Trump administration also filed a lawsuit against California’s own laws banning fracking and requiring new oil wells to be sited away from schools and homes. So not only are they pushing drilling they’re suing the state for trying to stop it.
BLM is expected to make a final decision by July 2026. Environmental groups have made clear they’re watching closely and are prepared to sue again. These are our parks, water, and air. They belong to everyone not the oil industry!
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