REACT’s Proposal for Negotiation of Lease
By Saro Rizzo, Esq.
Vice President, REACT Alliance
I am writing to you on behalf of the REACT Alliance (Responsible Energy Adaptation for California’s Transition), a grassroots coalition of California Central Coast residents. In light of the April 27, 2026, announcement regarding the Golden State Wind project, we strongly urge Equinor to enter into immediate negotiations with the Department of the Interior (DOI) to likewise cancel its lease off the Central Coast for its Atlas Wind project, if you have not already begun doing so.
As you are aware, the current administration in Washington has made its opposition to offshore wind clear, citing high costs, national security concerns, and a preference for traditional energy over projects deemed expensive, unreliable, and intermittent. This resistance is mirrored by the majority of people on the Central Coast who do not wish to see these industrial projects on our coastline and in our ocean.
Furthermore, we must address the infrastructure requirements of your project. The massive operations and maintenance port facility needed to support your turbines would fundamentally destroy the environment and character of Avila Beach and Port San Luis. This area is one of the most beautiful in California, a Sunset Travel Award winner and top-ranked tourist destination. Its current pristine state is a hard-won victory; the coastline was only restored in the mid-1990s after a lengthy cleanup of a massive Unocal oil spill caused by leaking underground pipelines. Does Equinor truly want to be associated with a project that will destroy this idyllic beach community once more? We believe not.
Crucially, that cleanup was the direct result of a relentless grassroots local lawsuit brought by residents who refused to let their community be destroyed. Having fought once to save Avila Beach and Port San Luis from industrial negligence, our community is prepared to use every legal and political tool available to prevent its reindustrialization. Beyond local opposition, the project remains speculative at best.
To date, Equinor has not submitted Site Assessment Plans (SAP) or Construction and Operations Plans (COP) to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Industry and state agency projections now admit these projects will not be operational until at least 2035, if ever. Furthermore, the technology for its massive floating turbines in 4,000-foot-deep water has not yet been developed, making the project a high-risk gamble. Additionally, the State of California is currently cash-strapped and lacks the billions of dollars required to build out the massive infrastructure needed for the Port of Long Beach and Port San Luis to support such an industry, and the likelihood of receiving federal funding for this is currently zero.
The precedent for an amicable exit has now been firmly established by your former direct neighbor in the Morro Bay lease area. Just days ago, Golden State Wind reached a deal to recover approximately $120 million in lease fees by agreeing to cancel its lease area and exit the Central Coast. This follows the March 23, 2026, landmark deal where TotalEnergies relinquished its leases in the New York Bight (Attentive Energy) and the Carolina Long Bay in exchange for a nearly $1 billion refund to focus on U.S. oil, gas, and energy infrastructure.
By following the path set by Golden State Wind and TotalEnergies, Equinor can:
• Secure a Significant Refund: Regain substantial capital that can be redirected to more stable ventures.
• Avoid Protracted Litigation and Political Resistance: Sidestep years of costly legal and political battles over the destruction of Avila Beach, Port San Luis, our coastline, and the marine environment.
• Strengthen Federal Relations: Focus your resources on your vast portfolio of other energy projects in the USA that require DOI approvals and a cooperative working relationship.
The Central Coast community remains committed to preserving our environment. We believe a negotiated cancellation is in the best interest of Equinor’s shareholders, including the Norwegian government as the company’s largest shareholder, and the people of California.
