Gov. Jerry Brown pleaded California’s case to prevent offshore drilling in a 20-minute phone call Friday with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, according to a summary of the call provided by Brown’s office.
The phone call came days after Zinke agreed to exempt Florida from a new Trump administration proposal to expand oil and gas drilling off most of the U.S. coastline. Zinke said the Florida decision, which critics denounced as a partisan favor for the state’s Republican governor, came as a result of local opposition and because its scenic coastline drives tourism.
Brown told Zinke that the same conditions exist in California.
“During the conversation, Gov. Brown asked for the same consideration Florida recently received and noted broad opposition from Republicans, Democrats and independents across the state to any expansion of oil and gas drilling off of the California coast,” according to the summary of the call.
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