Stand Up, Save Our Coast: Monterey Bay community members gather to oppose offshore oil development

By: Asa Chavarro

Date: January 14, 2026

On Friday, January 9th, Save Our Shores hosted Stand Up, Save Our Coast: A Monterey People’s Hearing to oppose the federal government’s five-year plan to open up the California coast to offshore oil drilling. The event was held in collaboration with Monterey Bay Aquarium and Oceana at the Portola & Spa Hotel in Monterey. Nearly 300 people attended to take action and voice their concerns about what this could mean for our coastal communities if drilling were to take place.

Among some of the attendees that came out to voice their opposition to the five-year plan were some of our local politicians: State Senator Laird, Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson, Congressman Panetta’s District Director Emmanuel Garcia, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings, Seaside City Councilmember Alexis Garcia-Arrazola and many others. All of them commented on what would be an illegal plan to drill federal waters off of California and would cause harm to marine life. They all agreed on one thing: “When we drill for oil, we spill oil.” That admission makes one reality clear—the risk of an oil spill is not hypothetical, it is inevitable. And the cost of that risk is simply too great. It forces a choice between continuing to drill, or protecting our coast from damage we know will happen. 

Community members who attended spoke about what the coast means to them. One of the speakers sang lyrics of a song that represented why it’s important to stop this plan from happening. Others gave speeches of moving from other states and even other countries for the sole purpose of wanting to experience the beautiful scenery of our coast from Monterey to Santa Barbara—but it’s all at risk now.

This issue doesn’t affect how the community feels about our waters, it only motivates the community to stop this from happening now and in the future. The people deserve to be heard and deserve to be able to fight for their coastal waters since it can’t fight this on its own. 

Right now, we need the community to continue to spread the word and help us fight this devastating plan to drill within our waters. The window of opportunity to voice your concerns is rapidly closing and we need your help to secure protection for our coast. Public comment will be open until January 23rd. Let's save our coast together!

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