Environment 6-4

The State Lands Commission on 6/1 rejected Gov. Schwarzenegger’s demand to open Santa Barbara’s coast to oil company PXP’s slant drilling proposal that would net the state $2 billion in oil revenues. Although area environmentalists supported PXP’s initial proposal-arguing it would establish a deadline for oil drilling to stop-they objected that the governor’s approach would set a bad precedent. State Assemblymember Pedro Nava has consistently opposed the plan despite environmental support and blasted Schwarzenegger’s efforts to resurrect the PXP proposal months after the State Lands Commission initially rejected it.