Sable Offshore Corporation

A legal battle over Central Coast oil pipelines is escalating, as California's attorney general now accuses the federal government of helping an oil company sidestep state law.

A judge decided Tuesday morning to maintain restrictions on restarting a controversial oil pipeline along California’s Central Coast. The decision comes after environmental groups say the operator ignored a court order.

California officials are pushing back after the Trump Administration ordered the restart of a controversial oil pipeline system off the Santa Barbara coast. State regulators say they’re preparing for possible legal action over the company restarting the pipeline, without required state approvals, and over a federal order allowing the company to bypass California law.

Santa Barbara County denied Sable Offshore Corporation the right to operate several oil and gas facilities, including a pipeline that caused the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. But, a new federal filing shows the company may be pursuing another path forward.

After hours of heated debate, the future of offshore oil production off the Santa Barbara coast continues to be uncertain. County Supervisors rejected a proposal that would allow an oil company to operate an offshore oil field connected to the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill.