California: Halt Dangerous Restart of Oil Pipeline in Santa Barbara County

(San Francisco, September 10, 2025) – The State of California should refuse permission to restart the Las Flores pipeline system, Climate Rights International said in a new briefing paper today. Governor Gavin Newsom, regulators, and other state leaders should put the health and safety of local communities, marine life, and the need to transition away from fossil fuels above the financial interests of oil and gas companies.

The Las Flores pipeline, formerly operated by Plains All American, was the source of the devastating 2015 oil spill at Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara, one of the worst coastal disasters in California history, which spilled over 100,000 gallons of crude oil on the coast. The pipeline was then shut down and widely assumed to be permanently decommissioned. But in recent months, Sable Offshore Corp., a newly formed company whose purchase of the pipeline was financed by ExxonMobil, has pushed to restart the same corroded infrastructure without applying for permits, submitting to public input, or undergoing any environmental review.

“Governor Newsom has taken a strong stand on addressing climate change, so his failure to publicly oppose this pipeline restart is puzzling and worrisome,” said Brad Adams, Executive Director at Climate Rights International. “If he wants to be seen as a national and even international leader on climate change, he should make it clear that he will not allow one of the most dangerous offshore pipelines in the country to come back online.”

In 2015, the Plains spill created a 10-square-mile oil slick and contaminated over 150 miles of shoreline. Marine mammals, including dolphins and sea lions, washed up dead. More than 500 birds were killed. Fisheries were closed for over a month and public beaches were shuttered during peak tourism season. Federal regulators identified 165 anomalies – a term in the oil industry for weaknesses in a pipeline – following the 2015 spill, including instances of severe corrosion with up to 80% metal loss.

The financial costs were staggering. Cleanup alone cost nearly $100 million. Fisheries lost millions more and beach closures led to nearly $4 million in recreational and tourism losses. Legal settlements and penalties pushed the total to $870 million. Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against Plains All American and the company was found guilty on multiple counts, including for failing to properly maintain its pipeline. A California judge later imposed the maximum allowable fine under state law. And now, Sable is attempting to restart the pipeline despite the corroded infrastructure.

In 2022, Plains sold the damaged pipeline to Exxon, which then sold it to Sable Offshore Corp., a speculative company, in a purchase financed largely by a loan from Exxon. Sable quickly began repairs to the “anomalies” in the pipeline.

Sable began repairs without obtaining required permits or undergoing environmental review. In response, the California Coastal Commission issued multiple cease and desist orders. When Sable continued its unpermitted work, the Commission imposed a record-setting $18 million fine and secured a court injunction prohibiting any further repairs until litigation concludes. Sable argued that permits originally issued in 1987 justify their activities, but the Commission has flatly rejected those claims. In July 2025, a Santa Barbara County judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the restart while litigation proceeds. Sable still requires additional approvals to move forward.

Governor Newsom and state agencies must act decisively to uphold the law and protect the public, Climate Rights International said. Doing so would require a full environmental review of Sable’s proposed project, including opportunities for public input and formal hearings. State regulators should reject attempts to exploit outdated permits and loopholes that allow dangerous infrastructure to restart without proper oversight. The state must also prevent further regulatory exemptions and support a just transition toward clean energy.

“At a time when heat records are being broken around the world, it is doubly perverse to even consider allowing more oil to be pumped out of the ocean and through a corroded pipeline that caused one of California’s worst environmental disasters,” said Adams. “Governor Newsom has the opportunity to show the country what real climate leadership looks like by making it clear he wants this pipeline shut down once and for all.


Photo by: Center for Biological Diversity


https://cri.org/california-halt-dangerous-restart-oil-pipelines-santa-barbara-county/