Azul Condemns Trump Administration Plan to Expand Offshore Oil Drilling in California, Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2025
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Azul Condemns Trump Administration Plan to Expand Offshore Oil Drilling in California, Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska
Latino communities overwhelmingly oppose offshore oil & gas drilling and support protecting our blue ocean economy
SACRAMENTO, CA (November 20, 2025) – Today, Azul strongly condemned the Trump administration’s plan to propose offshore oil drilling along the California coast for the first time in decades, as well as to expand drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska. The plan would threaten coastal economies, marine ecosystems, and community health while ignoring overwhelming public opposition.
The U.S. ocean economy relies on a healthy ocean and thriving marine life – conditions that are threatened by oil spills. In California alone, the ocean economy generates jobs and over $44 billion for California’s GDP each year.
“This plan is a dangerous gift to the oil and gas industry at the expense of our planet and shared future,” said Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul Founder and Executive Director. “Our ocean economy depends on healthy ecosystems and thriving marine life, and offshore drilling threatens both. Latino voters across the country, and across party lines, overwhelmingly reject more offshore drilling, as seen in our 2024 National Azul Poll. Our communities have lived the consequences of oil spills, and they are calling on our leaders to move us beyond fossil fuels. We refuse to trade our future for short-term industry profits.”
With oil spills, it’s not a matter of if, but when. More than 7,300 oil spills occurred in federal waters between 2010 and 2022 – over one spill every single day. These oil spills hurt coastal communities, kill marine life, damage beaches, and cause long-term economic losses to the very communities the oil industry claims to benefit.
Protecting our ocean is not a choice between jobs and the environment – it’s a choice between short-term oil profits and lasting livelihoods, community health, and climate resilience. According to the 2024 National Azul Poll:
• 91% of Latino voters agree that clean beaches and a clean ocean are essential to our economy and quality of life.
• 72% of Latino voters want to ban oil and gas drilling, and we want to replace its use with more renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
• 61% of Latino voters would support actions to ban offshore drilling for oil and gas, even if it means paying more per month for gasoline and household gas
According to reports, the draft proposal is likely at least a year away from final approval. Azul urges coastal communities, workers, scientists, and policymakers to make their voices heard in opposition. Join the wave of #LatinosMarinos defending our ocean against offshore drilling at Azul.org
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Azul is an ocean justice organization working with Latino communities to protect our blue planet. Founded in 2011, Azul has developed and executed campaigns that achieved groundbreaking ocean conservation policy victories at local, national, and international levels. To learn more, visit: Azul.org