The Changing Local Government Role in Permitting OCS Development

by Robert B. Almy, Santa Barbara County Resource, Management Dept, Santa Barbara, United States,
Dev Vrat, Santa Barbara County Resource, Management Dept, Santa Barbara, United States,
Dan Neice Johnson, Santa Barbara County Resource, Management Dept, Santa Barbara, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '91

Abstract:

The Santa Barbara and Ventura region of California was the location of some of the earliest oil and gas development in the country. Spiraling oil prices, improved technologies and better exploratory data resulted in an explosion in the pace of exploitation in the 1980's. Faced with an unprecedented number of development and transportation project applications, Santa Barbara County's attention shifted to permit processing. Major portions of the existing policy apparatus were clearly inadequate to provide local decision makers with the necessary context for making oil and gas project decisions. The role of the county changed again as the projects secured permits and the huge construction jobs began. The county became a watchdog over the massive projects to ensure that environmental protection conditions were met.

Subject Headings: Project management | Local government | Public policy | Permits | Coastal management | Urban and regional development | Pricing | California | United States

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