HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of San Luis Obispo Public Comment - Letter of OPPOSITION to Oil and Gas Leasing and DevelopmentCity of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114,
slocity.org
July 22, 2025
Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Interior
Bakersfield Field Office
35126 McMurtrey Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93308
RE: Comments on Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
and Potential Amendment to the Resource Management Plan – Oil and Gas Leasing and
Development (Federal Register, June 23, 2025, NEPA # DOI-BLM-CA-C060-2025-0053-RMP-EIS)
To Whom it May Concern:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM)
June 23, 2025 Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
(SEIS) and consider a potential amendment to the Resource Management Plan for oil and gas leasing
and development across multiple Central California counties, including San Luis Obispo County.
The City of San Luis Obispo remains opposed to the expansion of oil and gas leasing on or near lands
within our jurisdiction and requests that BLM formally exclude City-owned parcels and
environmentally sensitive areas from further consideration in this SEIS process.
As previously noted in our 2018 comment letter, several parcels identified by BLM as “open” for
potential oil and gas leasing are owned and managed by the City, including land within the Reservoir
Canyon Natural Reserve, which is protected for conservation and passive recreation. Additionally, a
BLM-owned parcel contiguous with the City’s Irish Hills Natural Reserve is subject to a 2010
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU LLCAC06000-1001) between the City and BLM. The MOU
expressly states that BLM will withdraw the parcel from mineral entry and refrain from issuing
discretionary authorizations, such as oil and gas leases, without first conferring with the City. These
commitments should continue to be honored, and we respectfully request that these lands be
removed from further environmental review or leasing consideration.
The City also reiterates concerns about the proximity of proposed leasing areas to critical regional
water sources, including Whale Rock Reservoir, Lake Nacimiento, and Salinas Reservoir—key
components of the City’s drinking water supply. Oil and gas operations in these areas pose
unacceptable risks to groundwater and surface water quality. We urge BLM to include a
comprehensive, science-based analysis of potential water contamination risks in the SEIS, especially
with regard to hydraulic fracturing and long-term groundwater impacts.
In addition to these site-specific concerns, the City of San Luis Obispo has adopted an ambitious
Climate Action Plan that commits the community to carbon neutrality by 2035. Allowing new oil and
gas development on public lands in San Luis Obispo County undermines this effort and contradicts
state and federal climate goals. The SEIS must fully consider the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions
and long-term climate implications of expanded fossil fuel extraction in the region.
Finally, we respectfully request that the City of San Luis Obispo be included in all future notifications,
outreach, and consultation related to this SEIS and any associated leasing proposals.
Thank you again for the opportunity to comment. We urge BLM to remove sensitive lands from
consideration, safeguard vital water resources, and prioritize a just transition to clean energy in this
important review.
Sincerely,
Erica A. Stewart
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
Cc: Assemblymember Dawn Addis
Senator John Laird
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities
League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org