Drilling for oil off the California coast at Santa Barbara
Offshore oil drilling platform Gail, operated by Venoco Inc., is in federal waters off the coast of California near Oxnard. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
The budget proposal allows a Texas oil company to drill in the Tranquillon Ridge from an existing platform. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
Santa Barbara residents expressed mixed feelings about the proposal Monday. Some favor new drilling to fill state coffers and provide some of the oil needed to fuel our cars. Others expressed environmental concerns and criticized the governor for ignoring the ruling of the State Lands Commission. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
State waters have been off-limits to new drilling since 1969, when a spill off the coast of Santa Barbara fouled miles of coastline and injured birds and marine animals. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
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Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and a coalition of lawmakers and environmentalists released a statement criticizing the budget plan’s oil-drilling provision and urging lawmakers to reject it. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
