RESOLUTION NO. 26-08
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA, OPPOSING NEW OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DRILLING WHEREAS, the City of San Clemente values our ocean waters and coast which provide habitat to a vast array of wildlife including marine mammals, birds and fish that depend on a healthy and clean ocean environment; and WHEREAS, our City of San Clemente and its visitors value recreational, commercial, and educational activities on our beaches which supports our local economy; and WHEREAS, offshore oil and gas drilling off the Pacific coast puts these coastal resources, and the communities and industries that depend on them, at risk of oil spills, intense ocean noise, and other damage; and WHEREAS, new federal offshore oil and gas leases have not been granted off the coast of California since 1984; and WHEREAS, the current exclusion of the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf from new oil and gas development is consistent with the long-standing interests of Pacific Coast States as framed in the 2006 Agreement on Ocean Health adopted by the Governors of California, Washington and Oregon; and WHEREAS, the State of California prohibits new leasing in state waters because of the unacceptably high risk of damage and disruption to the marine environment and economy of the state; and WHEREAS, the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program could open the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans to new drilling, fracking and other well stimulation, putting California’s coastal resources at risk of more oil spills, increased greenhouse gases, continued dependence on fossil fuels and impacts of climate change and which could delay the movement toward greater reliance on renewable energy; and WHEREAS, the City of San Clemente has long been a leader in environmental sustainability and has adopted a Climate Action Plan that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean and renewable energy; and WHEREAS, the City of San Clemente Centennial General Plan dated February 2014 includes Policy No. NR-4.02 declaring the City’s policy to oppose offshore oil drilling and Liquified Natural Gas facilities, and prohibit on-shore support facilities for such extraction uses; and WHEREAS, the City of San Clemente opposes an expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling because of the threat to our coast, wildlife, climate and coastal economy; and WHEREAS, the City is opposed to any action by the United States Department of the Interior to open or expand oil and gas exploration, leasing, or drilling in federal waters off the California coastline, and the Atlantic coastline.
NOW, THEREFORE, The City Council of the City of San Clemente does hereby resolve as follows:
SECTION 1. That the above recitations are true and correct.
SECTION 2. That the City Council opposes any new offshore oil and gas drilling off the California coast and any legislation that opposes the America First Offshore Energy Executive Order.
SECTION 3. That the City Council supports and endorses the Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act (H.R. 2862) and urges both houses of the United States Congress and all related committees to advance and approve the bill.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this _____ day of ____________________, _______.
ATTEST:
___________________________ __________________________
City Clerk of the City of Rick Loeffler, Mayor of the City of San Clemente, California San Clemente, California
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) §
CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE )
I, LAURA CAMPAGNOLO, City Clerk of the City of San Clemente, California, do hereby certify that Resolution No. 26-08 was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Clemente held on the _______ day of _______________________, _________, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of San Clemente, California, this _____ day of _________________, ________. __________________________
CITY CLERK of the City of
San Clemente, California
Approved as to form:
____________________________
Elizabeth A. Mitchell, City Attorney
Resolution No. 26-08 Page 2
Attachment 1