Oil Pipeline Update - Demand Transparent Environmental Review from CA State Parks

While the federal government puts out fake news implying the oil pipeline restart in Santa Barbara County is a done deal, we’re still fighting effectively on many fronts to protect the coast. A more factual update from a California regulatory perspective is in the recently released Summary of State Regulation of Crude Oil Pipelines in Santa Barbara County. Can you help us stand up to big oil by making a couple of calls? Scroll down for details.

What’s Happening?

A new company from Texas (Sable Offshore Corp.) is planning to restart the aging and failed pipeline system along Santa Barbara’s coast – the same one that caused the 2015 Plains All American oil spill disaster in Santa Barbara County, killing hundreds of marine mammals and birds, closing beaches and fisheries and fouling hundreds of miles of coastline in Chumash lands and waters. Now, Sable has threatened to resume production and is on the verge of restarting the failed pipeline. State agencies under Governor Gavin Newsom have failed to uphold state law to protect public safety and the environment.

In December, the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) waived normal safety, corrosion-prevention, and remediation requirements for this corroded pipeline, effectively  facilitating and accelerating the restart. To date, OSFM’s Pipeline Safety Division has been unresponsive to multiple calls from the public and state legislators for a transparent public process, and the agency is on track to allow the restart without preparing an environmental impact report or providing for an opportunity for meaningful public comment and input. 

In December, California State Parks sent a letter to Sable noting that an application for a new easement would be required and that the agency would evaluate “...whether and to what extent environmental review of the proposed easement will be required,” but the agency has since issued a right of entry permit to Sable to conduct work on the pipelines without any environmental review and has not yet committed to conducting environmental review for a new easement for the pipeline.  

This summer, a judge granted a temporary restraining order and an injunction against OSFM and Sable, but the company still claims it is aiming to restart production this year.

We can’t let this happen. The state must stop or at least pause this process until it carries out a full, thorough and transparent environmental review.

Who to call:

Governor Gavin Newsom: Governor Newsom has ignored emails and letters from thousands of residents, state legislators, 23 members of Congress, and dozens of organizations calling on him to require environmental review. Let’s keep the phones ringing until he commits to protect the coast.

State Parks Director Armando Quintero: Director Quintero leads the California Department of Parks and Recreation and will determine whether the agency will conduct an environmental review for the new easement the pipelines require across the cherished Gaviota State Park.

Call Now:

Call Governor Newsom’s office at 916-445-2841. Try to talk to a member of staff. Here’s what you can say:

• “Hello. My name is ___ and I’m a resident of ____ .
  
• I’m extremely disappointed to see Trump cheerleading the success of the Santa Ynez Unit, an offshore drilling project off California’s coast. Not a single agency under your leadership has committed to conducting a full environmental review for the proposed restart, including for the defective pipeline that caused the 2015 disaster.
• None of us want another major oil spill, and we need strong leadership from you to stop that from happening. 
• Please reverse course and stand up to protect California’s coast from offshore drilling. Thank you.”

Also call Director Quintero’s office to share your message at 916-902-8900. 

• “Hello. My name is ___ and I’m a resident of ____ .
• I’m extremely disappointed that State Parks already granted one exemption from environmental review for Sable Offshore Corp.’s work in Gaviota State Park.
• None of us want a repeat of the massive 2015 oil spill at Refugio State Beach and we need strong leadership from you to stop that from happening. 
• Please require full environmental review before you make any decision on Sable Offshore Corp.’s application for a new pipeline easement through Gaviota State Park for the Las Flores Pipeline System. Thank you.”

If you get through to voicemail, please leave a message.