Trump administration targets California coastal agency in escalation of energy production fight

US commerce department accuses state of environmental terrorism' and plans to evaluate its coastal agency

The Trump administration plans to evaluate the performance of the California Coastal Commission, in the latest escalation of a dispute between the state's Democratic leaders and the federal government over energy production.

Per federal law, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) is required to conduct reviews of federally approved coastal management programs, which take into consideration the extent to which the State of California has implemented and enforced the program approved by the [commerce] Secretary".