HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 2021-61 RESOLUTION NO. 2021-61
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OP THE
CITY OP HUNTI�1GTON BEACH PROTECTING OUR OCEAN
AND COAST FROM OFFSHORE OIL. AND GAS DRILLING
AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES
WHEREAS, the City of Huntington Beach and its visitors enjoy California's beaches and
the Pacific Ocean for recreational and commercial activities. all of which support our local
economy: and
WHERAS. our City's residents value our slate's ocean and coastal waters. which provide
habitat to a vast array of wildlife, including fish, whales, sea turtles, and birds that depend on a
healthy and clean environment: and
WHEREAS, in California, hundreds of thousands ofjobs and billions of dollars of the
state's gross domestic product depend on clean water, oil-free beaches, and abundant fish and
wildlife. and
l'v'FIL'-REAS. offshore oil and gas drilling places coastal communities at economic and
ecological risk from oil spills and the pollution brought by routine drilling operations.
threatening the lives and livelihoods of small business owners, particularly commercial and
recreational fisherman: and
WHEREAS, a massive oil spill in 1969 off the coast of Santa Barbara fouled coastal
waters- and caused catastrophic economic and environmental damage. and
WHEREAS, in May 2015, a pipeline ruptured near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara
County and spilled oil into the Pacific Ocean, with oil reaching as far south as Orange Count%,.
damaging wildlife, closing beaches. and impacting recreational and commercial activities; and
WHEREAS. a major spill off Huntington Beach in October 2021 dumped a significant
amount of oil into our coastal waters. resulting in beach closures, impacts to recreational and
commercial activities. and significant environmental and economic damage. and
WHEREAS. the State of California prohibits new oil and gas leasing in state waters due
to the unacceptably high risk of damage and disruption to the marine environment; and
WHEREAS. the Governor of California. the State Senate. the State Lands Commission,
and several cities, have taken a stand against new federal offshore oil and gas leases in the
Pacific Ocean, and several municipalities have called for a ban on offshore drilling: and
WHEREAS, expanding offshore drilling off the California coast will deepen the state's
dependence on fossil fuels and undermine its efforts to address climate change by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and moving toward renewable energy.
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-61
NOW,THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does hereby
resolve as follows:
a) The City of Huntington Beach supports(1)a permanent ban on new offshore oil and
gas drilling, fracking, and other well stimulation in federal and state waters off the
California coast, and (2) no new federal oil and gas leasing in all U.S. waters,
including off the coast of California.
b) The Clerk shall forward a copy of this Resolution to U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Deb Haaland, California Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein
and Alex Padilla, as well as U.S. Congressional and state representatives for
Huntington Beach and any other interested parties.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach at a
regular meeting thereof held on the 1 day of 'y&—AbeC a 2021.
Mayor
nVIEED D APP V APPROVED AS FORM:
City Manager ity Attorney �►(/
Res. No. 2021-61
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF ORANGE ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH )
I, ROBIN ESTANISLAU, the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of the
City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of said City, do
hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach is seven; that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted
by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the members of said City Council
at a Regular meeting thereof held on October 19, 2021 by the following vote:
AYES: Bolton, Delgleize, Carr, Moser, Kalmick
NOES: Posey
ABSENT: Peterson
RECUSE: None
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the
City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach, California