California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the state will sue the Biden administration over a federal order invoking emergency powers to restart the Sable Offshore pipeline, which has been shut down since a 2015 rupture spilled 140,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara.
The pipeline, owned by Houston-based Sable Offshore Corp., runs 10 miles from offshore platforms to an onshore processing facility. The federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issued the restart order on March 10, citing 'national energy security concerns' amid rising gasoline prices. The order overrides California's coastal protection laws, which have blocked the pipeline's reopening since 2018.
Environmental groups say the pipeline is prone to corrosion and leaks; a 2024 inspection found 37 anomalies requiring repair. 'This is a disaster waiting to happen,' said Miyoko Sakashita of the Center for Biological Diversity.
Legal and political battles escalate
The state's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that the federal government lacks authority to override the state's Coastal Zone Management Act veto. 'Washington is forcing California to accept a known environmental risk to pad oil company profits,' Newsom said.
Sable Offshore Corp. has invested $400 million in pipeline repairs and insists the line is safe. CEO James Wilkes said the restart will create 120 jobs and reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil.
Washington is forcing California to accept a known environmental risk to pad oil company profits. We will see them in court.
A hearing on the state's request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for April 5. Meanwhile, local indigenous groups have set up a prayer camp at the pipeline's landing site.
