Santa Barbara County Being Eyed for New Oil Drilling and Fracking

BLM Announces Public Comment Open for Proposed Oil and Gas Leasing and Development on California’s Central Coast

The Central Coast could see the development of up to 10 to 40 new oil and gas wells per year on new leases. | Credit: Paul Wellman File Photo

President Donald Trump’s push to expand domestic oil and gas production may bring new drilling to California’s Central Coast — including parts of Santa Barbara County.

More than 400,000 acres of federal land — managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and stretching from Fresno to Ventura counties — are now being eyed for new oil and gas leasing and development, as the president calls for “Unleashing American Energy.”

The BLM recently announced a 30-day public comment period for its draft environmental review and resource management plan. The effort stems from a 2022 settlement agreement that required the bureau to conduct a detailed environmental analysis before considering any new drilling or fracking proposals on the Central Coast. A federal moratorium has halted any new leases while the analysis is completed.

With a complete environmental review, the BLM would be allowed to resume its oil and gas leasing program in California, potentially as soon as 2027. However, any future lease sales would still require additional environmental analysis and public engagement before moving forward.

Environmentalists are outraged all the same.

“Allowing this massive drilling expansion would be a huge loss to Californians, decimating the landscapes we use to hike, fish, hunt, and explore,” said Mercedes Aguilar, senior campaign strategist for Sierra Club’s Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign, in a statement.

“What’s more, this drilling expansion would put families at increased risk of asthma, cancer, and other health issues — all linked to the toxic air pollution from oil and gas drilling sites. We can — and must — maintain energy independence and a strong economy without digging up protected lands and polluting the air we breathe.”

The BLM announcement itself acknowledged that preliminary issues may include, but are not limited to, negative effects on air and water quality and untold impacts on “special status species, archaeology, oil and gas resources, and social and economic conditions.”

However, it also noted that resuming oil and gas leasing may “provide for additional economic growth and jobs associated with the oil and gas development within the planning area” as well as generate additional revenues from oil and gas production.

Ultimately, the Central Coast could see the development of up to 10 to 40 new oil and gas wells per year on new leases.

As of now, it is unclear exactly which parcels in Santa Barbara County may be included, but it seems it will primarily impact areas in North County and around Cuyama Valley. Congressmember Salud Carbajal’s office noted that while the notice currently “does not include any specifics on which parcels of land will be impacted,” his office “will continue to monitor the process to ensure there is no overreach or expansion of oil and gas drilling areas.”

Public comments can be submitted here, by selecting “participate now”: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2037500/510.
More information is provided through the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/23/2025-11481/intent-to-prepare-the-bakersfield-field-office-oil-and-gas-supplemental-environmental-impact#addresses