Sable Pipeline, Coastal Commission Rally

What you need to know about the oil pipeline in Santa Barbara and how to take action

By: Jadyn Polk, 3/19/2025

On March 12, Save Our Shores, Center for Biological Diversity, and other community organizations held a demonstration at a California Coastal Commission (CCC) meeting in support of the commission’s actions against restarting an oil pipeline in Santa Barbara. The oil pipeline is being managed by Sable Offshore Corporation who have taken unlawful actions to restart and update the same corroded pipeline that caused the devastating 2015 oil spill at Refugio State Beach. Sable has repeatedly ignored the cease-and-desist orders by the CCC. Community members showed up to the demonstration to support the CCC and encourage the agency to stay strong in the face of the inaction of other agencies.

The pipeline is 50 years old with 150 documented corrosion spots called “anomalies”. While Sable has stated that they are working to repair these anomalies, we argue that no one can guarantee there will not be any mistakes or negligence, and the state of our climate crisis calls for caution. Let history be our warning.

The 2015 Refugio Beach oil spill wasn’t the first in the Santa Barbara area. Prior to the 2015 spill, there was another oil spill in 1969 which turned the water black and covered an area nearly the size of Chicago. The gas and heat bubbled to the surface making the ocean appear as if it’s boiling. The oil killed thousands of birds and an unknown number of sea mammals.

In order to ensure the health of people in Santa Barbara and elsewhere, oil drilling must be advocated against and replaced with green energy options. There are too many risks when it comes to oil and its drilling, from sickness, to pollution, and all the in-between. SOS urges our community to do what you can to stay updated, and to advocate against Sables efforts to build a 50 year old pipeline with unlawful permits.

Learn more on the issue and how to take action here.

Take Action: 

If you’d like to do something to help, a great way would be to call Governor Newsom’s office at (916) 445-2841. You can also call Secretary Crowfoot of the California Natural Resources Agency office at 916-653-5656.

Here’s what you can say:

* “Hello. My name is _ and I’m a resident of __ .

I’m very concerned about Sable Offshore Corp. unlawfully proceeding with work in the California Coastal Zone and disobeying a state agency order to stop work. And I’m extremely disappointed that CAL FIRE granted state waivers to Sable without even requiring environmental review or a public process.

None of us want a repeat of the massive 2015 oil spill at Refugio State Beach and we need strong leadership from you to stop that from happening.

Please do not allow this unacceptable fast-tracking of resumed oil and gas operations to continue. Thank you.”