In what appears to be a calculated political move, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has retracted his support for oil drilling off the coast of California.
He told reporters the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico had convinced him that more drilling in state waters would pose too great a risk.
Prior to the announcement, the governor had been poised to include a $100 million drilling proposal in the May state budget revision, according to the Associated Press.
A similar proposal had been included in an early draft of the last year's state budget package, but was removed by the Assembly in late July.
The governor's latest announcement is not his first statement against offshore oil drilling. In fall 2008, Schwarzenegger was on record saying he opposed it.