U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal are demanding answers from Sable Offshore Corporation over the company's restart of offshore oil production near Santa Barbara.
In a letter sent Thursday to Sable CEO Jim Flores, the lawmakers—including nine other California Democrats—accused the company of working with the Trump Administration to bypass California environmental laws and coastal protections.
The lawmakers launched what they described as an oversight inquiry into Sable’s communication with the Administration and demanded records related to the company’s request for federal intervention under the Defense Production Act. The legislators say that law is traditionally used during national security emergencies.
The letter demands the company preserve all internal records and communications tied to the restart of the Santa Ynez Unit oil operation along the Gaviota Coast.
The group also pointed to multiple lawsuits, shareholder complaints, fines and criminal charges filed against Sable since 2025 related to pipeline repairs and restart activities.
Sable’s list of legal woes include an $18 million fine issued by the California Coastal Commission for unpermitted work along the coastline, criminal charges filed by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney alleging unlawful pollution discharges, and lawsuits from investors claiming the company misled shareholders about restarting production.
The lawmakers also raised concerns about political donations made by Sable executives to President Donald Trump. The letter questioned whether those financial ties influenced the administration’s support for invoking the Defense Production Act.
The lawmakers urged the company to “pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law.”
In addition to Schiff and Carbajal, the letter was signed by Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Reps. Julia Brownley, John Garamendi, Jared Huffman, Mike Levin, Dave Min, Jimmy Panetta, Nancy Pelosi and Mike Thompson.
Sable Offshore has argued the pipeline system is safe and that the company has complied with federal standards. The company has also described some of the legal and regulatory actions against it as politically motivated.
Sable Offshore resumed oil operations off the Gaviota Coast in March 2026. The pipeline system involved in the dispute was largely dormant since one of its pipelines caused the 2015 Refugio oil spill near Santa Barbara County.
