Sable’s plans to restart offshore oil drilling pending approval, fuels outrage from environmental advocates

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—The Refugio Spill of 2015 devastated miles of coastline, killed marine life, and cost hundreds of millions to clean up. 
 
The potential restart of offshore oil drilling is igniting fears that history will repeat itself. 
 
“ Our coastal economy in California is is one of the most vibrant economies in the world, and it's based on tourism, recreation, fishing and things that people would be directly impacted by, directly harmed by an oil spill if it were to happen again, said Brady Bradshaw from the Center for Biological Diversity.
 
Cal Fire must approve sable offshore corporation’s analysis plan for the Santa Ynez unit, which includes the pipeline that ruptured in 2015.
 
“It seems to me that agencies are sort of bending over backwards to try to find a way to allow this company to restart on a on a pipeline that should have been decommissioned many, many years ago,” said Bradshaw.
 
A Cal Fire spokesman told your News Channel that Sable has been providing all the requested documents after an earlier plan was deemed inadequate.
 
Sable's new plans include installing automatic shutoff valves on the pipelines.
 
Local environmental advocates say there is no way to safely restart with the existing infrastructure. 
 
“ Even if Sable installs more valves, which is what the county most recently decided, even with the new valves, the chance of an oil spill is, you know, every 1 to 4 years and larger than the 2015 spill,” said Environmental Defense Center Chief Council Linda Krop.
  
The Center for Biological Diversity says Cal Fire has not committed to an environmental review or ensured public input before finalizing the decision.
 
Sable is waiting for approval from Cal Fire and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
 
“ They need so many approvals. And so we're fighting this every step of the way,” said Drop

 
The company is also looking to acquire leases from Exxon, but the State Lands Commission says the company can restart production before getting the leases.
 
Sable plans to re-start production before the end of the year.