The State Senate has passed a bill intended to improve oil pipeline safety in the wake of the big 2015 oil pipeline rupture in Santa Barbara County. SB 169 tries to close gaps between state and federal pipeline regulations.
The bill was authored by Democratic State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara, who says some operators have used less stringent federal standards at times to sidestep tougher state regulations. It now goes to the State Assembly for consideration.
The 2015 Plains All American Pipeline rupture at Refugio State Beach spilled more than 140,000 gallons of crude oil onto the ground, and into the ocean.
