Coastal Resources and the Quality of Life  

The oil and gas industry, and especially offshore oil companies, have helped pay for major improvements and amenities to the state’s infrastructure, education system, parks and recreational facilities.

• Over the years, oil and gas development has generated for California some $6 billion in state royalty payments and $1.7 billion in federal royalties.

• Oil royalty proceeds played a large role in the construction of the University of California system and the State Water Project.

• Over the past 10 years, property taxes paid by the oil and gas industry on the Central Coast have contributed $120 million to schools and education programs in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

• Schools in the Central Coast receive the majority of property taxes paid by the offshore oil industry – nearly $10 million a year.

• Oil royalties have provided more than $15 million to preserve historic properties in California.

• Royalties from offshore oil production has provided more than $230 million to acquire or improve park and recreation facilities in Central and Southern California.

• Oil producers are the top two taxpayers in Santa Barbara County, the second largest taxpayer in San Luis Obispo County, and the fifth highest taxpayer in Ventura County. The industry has paid more than $200 million in property taxes to San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in the past 10 years.

• Since 1988, the industry has funded, through the Coastal Resources Enhancement Fund, more than $10 million of local parks, educational projects, hiking and biking trails, and other public amenities.

• Over the past 12 years, California has received more than $500 million in royalties from extraction on federal lands, which is also used for a variety of educational, environmental and general governmental purposes.

|| Top of Page ||