A new state law may add another layer of review before an oil company can restart a Santa Barbara County pipeline that ruptured in 2015.
The law, which took effect on January 1, requires Sable Offshore Corporation to obtain a Coastal Development Permit from the State Coastal Commission. Getting the permit could take years and require new studies and a public review.
Sable has been working to reopen the pipeline so it can resume shipping oil from three offshore platforms. The facilities were idled by the spill more than a decade ago. More than 140,000 gallons of crude oil spilled on the coast and into the ocean near Refugio State Beach.
Environmental groups and some stage agencies have opposed the restart efforts, arguing that additional review is necessary.
Late last year, a federal agency that oversees pipeline safety ruled that the repaired pipeline could be reactivated. Opponents are challenging the decision in court, saying that the required environmental reviews weren’t conducted.
In a hearing related to another lawsuit on Wednesday, Sable attorneys said the pipeline system hasn’t been restarted.
