Environmentalists aim to appeal County decision to transfer ownership of Gaviota Coast oil facilities to Sable Offshore
SANTA BARBARA Calif.— After hours of deliberation Wednesday the Santa Barbara Planning Commission voted 3 to 1 to approve Sable’s request for Exxon Mobil’s transfer of ownership of oil facilities along the Gaviota Coast.
This includes the pipeline that burst in the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill.
Sable has more regulatory hurdles to clear, and environmental advocates plan to appeal the most recent decision.
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission's approval of ownership for Sable Offshore brings it closer to getting oil flowing along the Gaviota Coast.
But environmentalists are pushing back.
Linda Krop from the Environmental Defense Center plans to appeal the decision to the Board of Supervisors.
Krop says Sable need to have an oil spill contingency plan to make sure they not only are taking the appropriate measures to prevent an oil spill, but also have the financial resources to respond if a spill occurs.
“They did submit a certificate of financial responsibility, but it's based on their own unsubstantiated numbers. The state still has to approve that and has not approved that,” said Krop.
When we spoke to Sable on Wednesday, they maintained they would make sure the pipeline involved in the Refugio Oil Spill is as good as new.
“We're repairing the pipeline. It's going through a whole series of upgrades to bring it up to world class quality. And we'll end up hydro testing that pipeline to bring it back—to make it sure that it's as good as new. And then we bring that pipeline back on hopefully by the end of the year,” said Sable Vice President of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Steve Rusch.
Sable hopes to appeal to people who prefer their fuel produced here at home.
“ I'm bringing a perspective of growing up here in this county and wanting our country to be independent and have domestic oil. I have reviewed Sable’s Track record and I feel that they're a very good company to trust,” said Karin Hauenstein, who lives in Cebada Canyon.
But Krop remains skeptical.
She brought up the company's run-in with the Coastal Commission last month.
Sable performed pipeline repair work on the Gaviota Coast without permits, and continued that work for days after receiving a notice to stop.
“ As of the last time we checked with the Coastal Commission a couple of days ago, Sable still hadn't applied for the permits. And yet it's been about a month. So is this the kind of company we want operating these facilities?" asked Krop.
In order to restart production sable still needs approval and permits from multiple agencies, including the State Fire Marshal, The California Coastal Commission, California State Lands Commission and a bond from CalGEM.
Sable says restarting the pipeline will bring jobs and revenue to Santa Barbara County.
