The California Coastal Commission is on the brink of halting Sable Offshore’s crude oil operations in the Santa Barbara Channel, accusing the company of restarting its pipeline without the necessary state permit.
Kate Huckelbridge, the commission’s Executive Director, addressed Steve Rusch, Sable’s Vice President of Regulatory & Environmental Affairs, stating, “These violations can be settled amicably.”
She further warned, “If such a settlement isn’t achievable, we may have to resolve this violation through unilateral orders proposed at a hearing.”
According to the Santa Barbara News-Press, the commission’s detailed 16-page letter warned Sable of potential penalties “as long as the violation continues.”
While environmental advocates applaud the state’s action, federal authorities had previously instructed the pipeline’s restart to ensure military readiness in light of geopolitical tensions.
The California Post contacted Sable for comment.
The relationship between Sable and California has become increasingly complicated due to a jurisdictional clash over offshore operations in the Santa Barbara Channel, stemming from the catastrophic 2015 Refugio oil spill.
Tensions intensified when President Trump signed an executive order earlier this year allowing the Houston-based company to begin pumping oil through the Santa Barbara coastline. Since then, Sable has found itself at the center of lawsuits involving both California officials and the federal government.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is fighting to stop operations and remove part of Sable’s pipeline to prevent environmental disasters
The Coastal Commission previously hit Sable with an $18 million fine — the largest in the commission’s history — for allegedly ignoring cease-and-desist orders and conducting unpermitted repair work.
Sable is currently facing 21 criminal charges and multiple lawsuits from Santa Barbara County over alleged unpermitted excavations and other violations.
Climate activists have viewed the threat of additional cease-and-desist actions against Sable as a positive development.
“Once again, Sable is being put on notice that they are violating the law,” Linda Krop, chief counsel of the Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center (EDC), said in a statement.
“Even after felony criminal charges, multiple attorney general lawsuits, and a historic fine from the Coastal Commission, Sable is now ignoring a new state law requiring a permit for the restart of defunct oil facilities, including the company’s failed pipeline,” Krop said.