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State files waiver that could help restart Refugio Oil Spill pipeline

The pipeline, now owned by Sable Offshore Corp., ruptured, spilling over 100,000 gallons of crude oil near Refugio State Beach in Goleta.
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The pipeline, now owned by Sable Offshore Corp., ruptured, spilling over 100,000 gallons of crude oil near Refugio State Beach in Goleta.

The state Fire Marshal has signed off on a waiver that was a key hurdle in reopening the pipeline involved in the Refugio Oil Spill nine years ago.

Environmental groups and some local politicians are criticizing the decision.

The approval by the fire marshal starts the clock ticking on a 60-day review by a federal hazardous materials agency. If the agency has no objections, the waiver will take effect in mid-February. It’s a major win for Sable Offshore, which has been pressing for years to reopen the pipeline.

In 2015, the corroded pipeline– then owned by Plains All-American– ruptured near Refugio State Beach, spilling more than 100,000 gallons of oil and causing a major environmental disaster.

Alex Katz with the Environmental Defense Group, a Central Coast nonprofit, said they’re strongly against resuming pipeline operations.

“It’s really shocking that the state is clearing the way for this project to move forward,” Katz said. “We're very concerned that if this pipeline restarts, it's not a question of if– but when– we have another disaster on our shores here in Santa Barbara.”

State Assemblymember Gregg Hart and State Senator Monique Limón have both expressed disappointment with the decision.

The waiver would allow Sable to bypass federal regulations on “cathodic protection,” which is supposed to prevent corrosion.

However, Cal Fire told KCBX that the waiver still requires Sable to protect the pipeline using alternative measures. It would order Sable to follow over 60 safety conditions, including stricter testing and better leak detection.

Sable said those measures go above and beyond state and federal requirements. The company said it plans to start hydro testing the pipeline in January 2025 to check for weaknesses before restarting.

KCBX Reporter Amanda Wernik graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a BS in Journalism. Amanda is currently a fellow with the USC Center for Health Journalism, completing a data fellowship that will result in a news feature series to air on KCBX in the winter of 2024.
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