California officials and activists oppose NOAA coastal review

Hundreds of residents, environmentalists, and elected officials gathered in Santa Monica to protest a federal investigation into California’s coastal management practices. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is conducting a review of the state’s authority under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), a move the Trump administration has framed as a response to “environmental extremism.”

Opponents argue the investigation is a politically motivated attempt to strip California of its power to review and reject federal projects in coastal waters. Critics, including state natural resources secretary Wade Crowfoot and representatives from the Surfrider Foundation, expressed concerns that weakening these protections could facilitate increased offshore oil drilling, rocket launches, and the deployment of floating nuclear reactors.

While the federal government characterizes the process as a performance review, local leaders and activists claim it aims to dismantle state-level oversight. Since the CZMA took effect over 50 years ago, California has approved 96% of the federal actions brought before its Coastal Commission.