Trump administration announces plan for new oil drilling off the coasts of California and Florida [View all]

Source: CBS News/AP

Updated on: November 20, 2025 / 7:24 PM EST


The Trump administration announced new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades on Thursday, as President Trump seeks to expand U.S. oil production, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems.

The oil industry has been seeking access to new offshore areas, including off Southern California and Florida, as a way to boost U.S. energy security and jobs. The federal government has not allowed drilling in federal waters in the eastern Gulf, which includes offshore Florida and part of offshore Alabama, since 1995, because of concerns about oil spills. California has some offshore oil rigs, but there has been no new leasing in federal waters since the mid-1980s.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is eyeing a 2028 presidential run and has emerged as a leading Trump critic, called the plan "idiotic" and "reckless" in a statement. The proposal is also likely to draw bipartisan opposition in Florida. Tourism and access to clean beaches are key parts of the economy in both states.

The administration's plan proposes six offshore lease sales off the coast of California. It also calls for new drilling off the coast of Florida in areas at least 100 miles from that state's shore. The area targeted for leasing is adjacent to an area in the Central Gulf that already contains thousands of wells and hundreds of drilling platforms.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-plan-new-oil-drilling-california-florida/