Santa Barbara County being eyed for new oil drilling and fracking
President Donald Trump’s push to expand domestic oil and gas production may bring new drilling to California’s Central Coast — including parts of Santa Barbara County. More than 400,000 acres of federal land — managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and stretching from Fresno to Ventura counties — are now being eyed for new oil and gas leasing and development, as the president calls for “Unleashing American Energy.” … The BLM announcement itself acknowledged that preliminary issues may include, but are not limited to, negative effects on air and water quality and untold impacts on “special status species, archaeology, oil and gas resources, and social and economic conditions.” However, it also noted that resuming oil and gas leasing may “provide for additional economic growth and jobs associated with the oil and gas development within the planning area” as well as generate additional revenues from oil and gas production.