Environmental scoping hearings held to discuss pipeline replacement project

Opponents held a rally in Santa Barbara before the start of a public hearing to discuss a proposed pipeline replacement project.

A small group of adults and children chanted, “No drilling, no spilling. ” Some of them said rain may have hurt the turnout.

They wrapped up their protest as soon as the environmental scoping hearing for the Plains Replacement Pipeline Project began.

Blake Kopcho with the Center for Biological Diversity said there have been some welcome consequences to the Refugio Oil Spill in 2015.

“The silver lining is seven offshore oil platforms have been shut down since the spill and it looks like a handful of those are actually going to be decommissioned, that said, we know Exxon wants to restart their aging and decrepit platforms off the California coast, and we are here to say ‘no.’ We know offshore drilling is dirty and dangerous and we have to transiton off of oil, right now, if we want to avoid climate catastrophe, and protect marine wildlife and our coastal communities,” said Kopcho.

Plains All American Pipeline spokesman Steve Greig disagrees. He said they are seeking approval to build a new 124-mile pipeline to serve oil producing clients and consumers.

‘We think it is in our best interest and the communities best interest to actually replace the line with a brand new line, built to today’s standards, built to today regulations,” Greig said.

The proposed path would move the line away from homes in Buellton.

“When the initial line was put in, it was put in outside of the city, but the city has grown over the line, so now there are homes that have grown, there are yards that have grown right over the existing line , we think it is better to move the line outside of the city limits,” said Greig.

He said building a line beneath homes would never be allowed today.

The company said that the pipeline would serve customers and consumers.

But critics who spoke at the hearing are concerned history will be repeated. They mentioned the 1969 spill in Santa Barbara that launched the environmental movement.

The next public hearing will be held on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the South County Regional Center in Arroyo Grande.

Members of Sierra Club plan to hold another rally before the hearing begins.