WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps this week applauded the Bush Administration decision to temporarily withdraw an ill-considered proposal to weaken the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). The controversial rule – which has been under consideration for two years – has drawn criticism for undermining this important coastal protection law.
Capps spearheaded two letters with over 100 U.S. Representatives to the Administration requesting the immediate withdrawal of the rule. She said she was pleased the Administration was backing down for now and that it will await governors’ comments on the recently released U.S. Commission on Ocean’s Policy Preliminary Report before issuing a final rule.
“I’m pleased the Administration has temporarily suspended this unnecessary and reckless proposal,” said Capps. “The Coastal Zone Management Act has been an extremely successful tool in balancing economic and environmental interests of our coasts, including stopping new oil and gas drilling off the Central Coast.”
In 2002, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed changes to CZMA that would severely limit states’ ability to participate in coastal planning decisions for federal agency activities or federally permitted or regulated activities. This rule change potentially exempted from state review actions that could result in significant, direct coastal impacts, like offshore oil and gas development, even though such projects may be completely at odds with the policies of the federally-approved state coastal management plan.
The recently released Ocean Commission’s preliminary report provided a clear description of the crises facing our nation’s coasts and oceans, including pollution from oil and gas drilling. Capps and several other California Representatives had earlier urged Governor Schwarzenegger to oppose attempts to weaken the CZMA and he submitted his comments to the Ocean Commission earlier this month. NOAA has said it postponed consideration of its draft CZMA rule until after each state commented on the Ocean Commission report.
“I hope that when the Administration hears from coastal governors about how important it is that they have a right to a say about what goes on off their coasts, the Administration will drop its attempt to weaken this important law. California used this very law to stop the development of those 36 leases off the Central Coast,” she added. “If the Bush Administration were to push through its earlier proposal, we might not be so lucky next time.”
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