California announced yesterday that it is filing suit against the feds over the issue of offshore oil drilling, demanding more of a say in decisions that will affect some of the state’s most scenic coastal stretches. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt outraged California officials and enviros last week by allowing oil companies to begin moving forward with exploration an development plans for 36 drilling leases in virgin waters. No actual drilling will occur yet, but the companies can now spend the next two to four years developing detailed drilling plans to dramatically expand oil production off the state’s Central Coast. The suit demands that the state be allowed to scrutinize the disputed oil tracts before any plans for expanded drilling proceed. California Gov. Gray Davis (D) is strongly opposed to offshore drilling, as are most Californians, polls show.
