An oil company is fighting back after Santa Barbara County prosecutors charged it with breaking environmental laws in its efforts to restart an oil pipeline that caused a major spill.
Sable Offshore Corporation is trying to restart the pipeline that ruptured on the Gaviota Coast in 2015, causing a 140,000-gallon oil spill. Three oil platforms off the Santa Barbara County coast need the pipeline to operate to move oil to refineries.
But, there’s been controversy over its work to repair the pipeline, with environmental groups contending Sable needed new permits. The company asserts that existing permits allowed the repairs.
Prosecutors filed five felony and 16 misdemeanor counts against Sable, saying the company did work without notifying regulators first.
In a statement, Sable called the charges “politically motivated.” It claims they did work with water quality and the State Fish and Wildlife agencies. The company contends no wildlife was adversely affected.
The state still has to make a final decision on the pipeline restart effort.
Sable faces multiple lawsuits by environmental groups seeking to block the restart effort.
