Public Comment Deadline: January 23, 2026 at 9pm

www.savemycoast.org

Public comment may be closed — but the fight is not over.

When the offshore drilling comment period ended, the process did not stop. It simply moved out of public view. This is the most important moment to stay engaged.

Right now, agencies are reviewing comments, coordinating internally, and shaping recommendations. Decisions are still being influenced — just quietly. That means public pressure, political accountability, and visibility matter more than ever.

Here’s what people can do next:

Contact elected officials directly. Ask them to take a public position opposing offshore drilling and to communicate that opposition to state and federal agencies. Silence at this stage is effectively consent. Jimmy Panetta has spoken up. Click Here and Here to read about it.

Demand transparency. Request that agencies disclose communications with oil and gas interests. Public records requests slow bad projects down and expose behind-the-scenes pressure.

Keep the issue visible. Write letters to the editor. Share posts that name the decision-makers involved. The industry depends on public attention fading after comment periods end — don’t let that happen.

Prepare for the next phase. If agencies move toward approval, appeals and legal challenges follow. Document conflicts with climate policy, coastal protections, and environmental law now — those details matter later.

Public opposition does not expire with a deadline. Approval of offshore drilling will come with political, legal, and public consequences — and decision-makers need to know that now.