Refugio Oil Spill

Santa Barbara County Superior Court has approved a temporary restraining order blocking efforts to restart the Refugio Oil Spill pipeline.

Sable Offshore Corp. announced Monday it has restarted oil production at the Santa Ynez Unit nearly 10 years after the Refugio Oil Spill spill shut it down.

On the 10th anniversary of the Refugio Oil Spill, environmental groups are hosting a paddle-out this weekend to protest efforts to restart the pipeline.

On Thursday, the board unanimously voted to refer Sable Offshore Corp. to the California Attorney General for allegedly violating state water laws by polluting waterways.

A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge Thursday denied a request to stop Sable Offshore Corp. from working on a pipeline tied to the Refugio oil spill.

The California Coastal Commission voted Thursday to impose fines up to $18.2 million dollars on Sable Offshore Corporation. The penalty is for unauthorized work along the Gaviota Coast, including repairs on the pipeline that spilled more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil near Santa Barbara.

A new lawsuit filed Wednesday challenges the Trump administration’s handling of offshore oil development at the Santa Ynez Unit– the site of the 2015 Refugio oil spill.

Sable Offshore could face a nearly $15 million fine for unauthorized pipeline work along the Gaviota Coast– including repairs on the pipeline that caused the 2015 Refugio oil spill.

The Board vote was split 2-2 on an appeal by environmental groups that challenged the transfer of permits to Sable Offshore, the company seeking to restart the pipeline.

Opposition to restarting the Refugio pipeline is growing ahead of a hearing this month challenging the transfer of permits needed to restart operations.