Join us on Tuesday February 25th to urge the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to deny the transfer of permits from ExxonMobil to Sable. This is an important step in the efforts to stop the restart of the offshore oil rigs in the Santa Barbara Channel that were taken offline after the 2015 pipeline spill. 2/25 8am press event and 9am hearing at the County Administration Building, 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara. There are several ways you can help:
1. Show up at 7:00 AM! Bring friends! Be a “Seat Saver!” We need LOTS of people to get in line before the building opens at 8:00 so we can get seats in the hearing room. No public speaking required -- Just get into the hearing room, sit down and save seats for allies who are outside at the press conference/rally. There will be breakfast treats and coffee for this early crew! Wear GREEN if possible if you are coming to the hearing.
2. Show up at 7:45 AM to provide support for the press conference. Bring friends! We need people to hold banners, signs and other props to enhance the visuals for the press. We will have provide the signs, etc. – we just need YOU! Yes, it's a crazy early time to be there but it's only one day. Think about how great you'll feel to have been part of this action!
3. Make your own public comment at the hearing. The hearing starts at 9AM and our initial estimate for public comment is between 10:00 AM and Noon. This is one of the most important actions to take, even though you will likely have only 1-2 minutes to speak. Click here for talking points and more info.
4. Email the Board of Supervisors. You can submit public comment via email prior to 5:00 PM on February 24 to sbcob@countyofsb.org. Your comments will be distributed to the Board and posted online. We suggest "Deny the Permit Transfer from ExxonMobil to Sable" in the subject line with your personal reasons in the body of the email.
5. Talk about this issue with friends and family. Many SB residents don't know about this dangerous pipeline proposal. Please refer them to this excellent SB Independent article and urge them to get involved!
Click here to RSVP and get updates, or simply show up on the 25th. You can email Bill with any questions: bhickman@surfrider.org
Don't Enable Sable - Stop the Oil Restart is a priority campaign for Surfrider in California this year. The goal is to stop the restart of the offshore oil rigs in the Santa Barbara Channel that were taken offline after the 2015 Plains All American pipeline spill.
Texas-based oil company Sable Offshore continues to push forward with plans to restart oil production from the three platforms of the Santa Ynez Unit and convey the oil through the same corroded pipeline responsible for the devastating 2015 oil spill. The Santa Barbara Independent recently posted this great overview of the issue and campaign. Surfrider is part of a broad coalition of groups working on the campaign.
In December, the California State Fire Marshal granted Sable Offshore a waiver for the pipeline’s cathodic protection system. In doing so, the agency helped advance Sable’s efforts to reactivate oil production in the Santa Ynez Unit, which threatens the precious ecosystems of the Santa Barbara Channel and the surrounding communities. It should be noted that President Biden’s recent executive action to ban offshore oil development by prohibiting new drilling leases does not affect Sable’s existing leases and operations.
Together we uphold that the approval of the state waiver should be suspended until State agencies carry out a full oversight and environmental review of the restart project. We invite community members to take action by expressing their disapproval of the waiver’s issuance and the project’s advancement to Governor Gavin Newsom and California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot.
There are a few additional ways to get involved to help stop this risky oil pipeline restart: