A federal review of California's coastal management program could strip the state of its power to block offshore oil drilling along San Mateo County's 40-mile coastline, and the deadline for public comment is Saturday, Aug. 22.

Supervisor Ray Mueller testified at a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hearing in Santa Monica on Monday, Aug. 10, telling federal officials he traveled there to "express our County's unequivocal opposition to the issuance of any offshore oil drilling leases and permits off our coast," according to a county news release.

The review, ordered in May 2026 by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, evaluates California's Coastal Management Program under the Coastal Zone Management Act. If the state fails the evaluation, California could lose its "coastal consistency authority," the legal tool it uses to object to offshore oil and gas projects in federal waters.

That matters locally because the Trump administration's proposed 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program identifies waters off San Mateo County for potential future drilling. The administration has proposed lease sales off California as early as 2027, according to CBS News.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 13, 2026, to oppose the federal leasing program. The county's entire coastline and the Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area sit within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, where oil and gas drilling is permanently banned under federal law. Mueller's District 3 includes the majority of that coastline.

Mueller warned that introducing offshore drilling would threaten decades of conservation and put the county's environment and economy at "catastrophic risk."

Supervisor Jackie Speier said in a statement that the coast is "an economic engine generating billions of dollars from tourism, recreation and maritime industries" and that the county firmly rejects offshore drilling rigs.

No new offshore drilling leases have been issued in California since 1984. The entire Pacific Outer Continental Shelf has not been included in a national leasing program since 1987-1992, according to county board records. California's coastal economy generated $51.3 billion in gross domestic product in 2021, per NOAA data cited in those records.

More than 15,000 people had already submitted written comments as of the Aug. 10 hearing, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Written comments are due by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. Residents can email [email protected] with "Comments on Performance Evaluation of the California Coastal Management Program" in the subject line.