Coastal resources: oil and gas development.

Assembly Member Hart's coastal resources legislation expands oversight of oil and gas infrastructure on California's tidelands and submerged lands, establishing new requirements for facility operations and pipeline transportation. The bill modifies existing prohibitions on new oil and gas infrastructure leases to encompass all Pacific Outer Continental Shelf operations within state waters, while implementing additional criteria for lease modifications.

Under the legislation, the State Lands Commission and local trustees must evaluate lease renewals, extensions, and modifications against specific environmental and safety factors, including marine habitat protection, public trust resources, and incident history. These evaluations require a 180-day public notice period and approval by two-thirds of commission members or the local trustee's governing board for changes that would increase oil and gas volumes across state waters.

The bill mandates that offshore oil be transported exclusively via certified pipelines using best achievable technology, eliminating previous allowances for alternative transportation methods except during declared emergencies. Pipelines must meet federal safety standards and obtain certification from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. For facilities inactive for three or more years, operators must obtain new coastal development permits before conducting repairs or reactivating operations, with local governments reviewing applications through their certified coastal programs.

The legislation maintains existing liability requirements for lease transfers while adding new qualification criteria for potential assignees, including operational experience, financial stability, and regulatory compliance history. Original leaseholders remain responsible for environmental obligations unless specifically released by the commission after providing security for estimated cleanup costs plus a 20 percent contingency.