SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) California’s coast is 840 miles long. California’s coastal economies contribute $40 billion annually to the state’s economy, and nearly half a million jobs. Commercial fisheries in California are valued at more than $7 billion annually. Ocean dependent tourism is valued at over $10 billion annually. Recreational fishing along California’s coast is valued at over $2 billion annually along California’s coast. annually.

(2) The California coastal current system hosts a wide variety of marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, marine fishes, and invertebrates, including many threatened and endangered animals. The ocean off of California’s coast also supports rare, deep-water coral habitats that provide habitat for abundant marine life.

(3) The California coastline provides habitat for many threatened or endangered species.

(4) The coast of California is home to numerous protected areas, including national marine sanctuaries, a national park, and a national seashore.

(5) Outdoor coastal recreation is a crucial part of California’s business and recreation, including boating, wildlife viewing, hiking, beach visitation, swimming, surfing, and diving. Additionally, many of California’s indigenous populations rely on fisheries for subsistence, business, and recreation.

(6) The California Coastal Sanctuary Act of 1994 passed with bipartisan support. The act prohibits any extraction of oil or gas in certain state waters under a new lease, but it also provides an exception that authorizes the extraction of oil or gas from state-owned tide and submerged lands in certain circumstances. Because of this exception, the act falls short of providing a complete ban on new leases for offshore oil drilling in state waters.

(7) California has established a network of marine protected areas. The exception for new state leases for offshore oil drilling in the California Coastal Sanctuary Act of 1994 threatens that network of marine protected areas.

(8) Pursuant to an agreement with the federal government, California receives a portion of the royalties on oil and gas produced in federal waters.

(9) California has not issued new offshore oil leases for over 50 years and has intentionally foregone any revenue from any new leases and the associated offshore oil development in state waters and federal waters. The Legislature, Governor, and State Lands Commission have repeatedly called upon the federal government to prohibit any new offshore oil development leases in federal waters off the California coast.

(10) The federal and state government, as well as the people of California, have consistently expressed support for an energy policy that transitions our use from fossil fuel to more renewable energy, greater fuel efficiency, and conservation.

(11) The Governor of California, along with the governors of Oregon and Washington, have repeatedly expressed their “strong opposition” to any offshore oil development off of the west coast. In a July 2014 letter to the President of the United States, they wrote: “While new technology reduces the risk of a catastrophic event such as the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, a sizeable spill anywhere along our shared coast would have a devastating impact on our population, recreation, natural resources, and our ocean and coastal dependent economies.” They further wrote that: “Oil and gas leasing may be appropriate for regions where there is state support for such development and the impacts can be mitigated. However, along the west coast, our states stand ready to work with the Obama Administration to help craft a comprehensive and science-based national energy policy that aligns with the actions we are taking to invest in energy efficiency, alternative renewable energy sources, and pricing carbon.”

(b) This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Coastal Protection Act of 2015.