California has sued the federal government after a federal agency approved Houston-based Sable Offshore Corp.'s plan to restart two coastal oil pipelines near Santa Barbara, arguing the decision unlawfully circumvents state environmental authority. The dispute follows the Trump administration's rollback of offshore drilling restrictions and recalls a 2015 pipeline rupture that spilled about 140,000 gallons of oil and contaminated roughly 150 miles of coastline. Federal regulators say the restart will boost U.S. energy supplies and help states with high gas prices; state officials and environmental groups vow to fight the plan in court.
California Sues to Block Restart of Coastal Oil Pipelines Near Santa Barbara
FILE - Workers prepare an oil containment boom at Refugio State Beach, north of Goleta, Calif., on May 21, 2015, two days after an oil pipeline ruptured, polluting beaches and killing hundreds of birds and marine mammals. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
California filed suit Friday against the federal government after a federal agency approved Houston-based Sable Offshore Corp.'s plan to restart two oil pipelines running off the state's coast. The move escalates a broader clash over the Trump administration's rollback of long-standing restrictions on offshore drilling and the federal government's role in coastal energy decisions.
What Happened
State officials say the federal approval unlawfully circumvents California’s regulatory authority over projects that affect its coastline. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who announced the lawsuit, said the state is acting to “draw a line in the sand” to protect beaches, communities and marine ecosystems from potentially hazardous pipelines.
"The federal administration has no right to usurp California’s regulatory authority," Bonta said at a news conference.
Federal Response And Industry View
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) defended its decision, saying the Las Flores pipeline restart would deliver "much needed American energy" to states with high gas prices. Sable has not immediately commented on the lawsuit.
History And Environmental Concerns
Critics point to a 2015 pipeline rupture tied to the same infrastructure that released roughly 140,000 gallons (about 3,300 barrels) of oil. That spill fouled roughly 150 miles (240 kilometers) of shoreline from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, contaminated habitat used by endangered whales and sea turtles, killed seabirds and marine mammals, and devastated local fisheries. The associated drilling platforms were subsequently shuttered.
FILE - A worker removes oil from sand at Refugio State Beach, north of Goleta, Calif., May 21, 2015. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Environmental groups and local officials, including Alex Katz of the Environmental Defense Center and Assemblymember Gregg Hart, argue the federal approval ignores those lessons and threatens coastal communities and ecosystems. Katz called the proposed restart "crazy," given the history of the spill.
Jurisdiction And The Broader Policy Context
Under federal rules, California controls state waters roughly three miles (five kilometers) from shore; the platforms in question sit about five to nine miles (eight to 14 kilometers) offshore, in federal waters. The dispute comes amid a rollback of limits on offshore drilling: on his first day in a second term, President Trump issued an executive order reversing former President Joe Biden’s ban on future offshore drilling along the East and West coasts, and federal courts have since weighed in on related withdrawal orders.
California has pursued long-term policies to reduce fossil fuel production and accelerate clean energy. Santa Barbara County has led locally: in May, county officials voted to begin phasing out onshore oil and gas operations.
What’s Next
The lawsuit sets up a court battle over federal and state authority, environmental protections and the future of offshore energy development. Legal challenges already surround Sable’s plans; the outcome will affect how offshore projects near populated and environmentally sensitive coasts are regulated and approved.
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