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Council backs county in opposing restart of coast pipeline after 2015 Refugio spill
Summary
Council adopted a resolution opposing recommissioning of the Santa Ynez Unit pipeline, citing the 2015 Refugio spill, environmental risk and uncertainty about operator financial capacity.
The Carpinteria City Council on March 10 voted to oppose recommissioning an oil-transport pipeline that runs along the Gaviota Coast and to transmit that position to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and the California Coastal Commission.
Staff presented background on the pipeline’s ownership changes — from Plains to ExxonMobil and most recently to Sable Offshore Corporation — and recounted the May 2015 Refugio oil spill, when over 120,000 gallons of crude reached the coast. The county planning commission approved an ownership/operational permit amendment; that approval was appealed and the Board of Supervisors deadlocked 2–2 on both motions to deny or approve the appeal, producing no final action and prompting local concerns.
"We know that this pipeline cannot be protected against corrosion and that another spill will occur with similar devastating or worse impacts if this project moves forward," Molly Troop of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper told the council during public comment, and multiple local speakers asked the council to send a clear statement against restarting the line.
Why it matters: Speakers and council members cited environmental harm to marine life and beaches from the 2015 spill, worries about aging offshore platforms and undersea infrastructure, and questions about the operator’s financial capacity to remediate a future incident.
Outcome: The council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 6373 opposing oil transportation by pipeline and directed staff to transmit the resolution to county and coastal authorities. Councilmembers encouraged residents to participate in adjacent hearings and noted a county public forum on cannabis odor abatement (separate subject) would be held locally in the coming days.
Ending: The resolution adds city-level political pressure to local agencies reviewing the pipeline’s recommissioning; county and state agencies retain final permitting authority.
