Coastal Commission
Sable Offshore Corp. Updates Filings with California Coastal Commission, Including March 11 Statement of Defense
Sable Offshore Corp. (Sable) is working to restart the Santa Ynez Pipeline System. At the time of restart, this pipeline will meet more stringent environmental and safety requirements than any other pipeline in the state.
On March 11, 2025, Sable responded to the California Coastal Commission (Commission) with a document known as a Statement of Defense. The letter and attachments provide clarity on several issues raised by the Commission regarding permitted repair and maintenance work along portions of Las Flores Pipelines CA-324 and CA-325 and span remediation maintenance on Santa Ynez Unit offshore pipelines.
- The Commission staff appears to be asserting Commission jurisdiction over already permitted activities in order to attempt to exert influence over Sable’s planned restart of the Santa Ynez Unit oil production operations. Jurisdiction over restart activities is entirely outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction and is separately regulated by other agencies.
- Sable’s repair and maintenance activities (anomaly repairs, safety valve installation, and span remediation) are in compliance with applicable provisions of Santa Barbara County’s Coastal Zoning Ordinance (CZO), certified Local Coastal Program (LCP), and the Coastal Act. As such, no cease and desist order is warranted – whether issued by the Executive Director or the full Coastal Commission.
- The onshore and offshore repair and maintenance work is fully authorized by coastal development permits previously approved by Santa Barbara County and the Commission. Therefore, those activities do not require new or amended coastal development permits and are not otherwise subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction or enforcement authority.
- Onshore anomalies: Santa Barbara County reviewed the detailed information Sable submitted with Zoning Clearance applications in 2024 and confirmed in a letter dated February 12, 2025, that the anomaly repair work is authorized by the pipelines’ existing coastal development permits and, consistent with past practice, no new or separate Coastal Act authorization is required for Sable to perform the work. Commission staff has repeatedly ignored that the County — as the applicable agency with delegated LCP authority under the Coastal Act — expressly has confirmed that the anomaly repair work was authorized by the onshore pipelines’ existing Coastal Development Permit, Final Development Plan, and Conditions of Approval.
- Onshore safety valves: Sable was required to undertake safety valve repair and maintenance activities pursuant to state law that the Coastal Commission supported. The safety valve repair work involves the exact same type of work as pipeline anomaly repairs, and Sable completed the safety valve work only after the County confirmed in writing that no further authorization from the County was required for the safety valves.
- Offshore span remediation: Sable’s span remediation maintenance activities were fully contemplated and authorized within the original coastal development permit approved by the Coastal Commission for the Offshore Pipelines in 1988 and the Development and Production Plan approved by the Department of the Interior. The span remediation maintenance activities involve the placement of sand-cement bags beneath certain segments of the offshore pipelines to provide additional pipeline support. The exact same support enhancement (span remediation) activities have been performed in the past on these same offshore pipelines without requiring any new Coastal Act authorizations.
- Sable has filed a lawsuit against the Commission in Superior Court in Santa Barbara County where it has asked the Court for damages and declaratory and injunctive relief to protect its vested rights to repair, maintain and operate the Santa Ynez Unit and Las Flores Pipeline Systems.
Resources
March 10, 2025
Sable Responds to Coastal Commission Enforcement Notice
Sable Offshore argues that pipeline maintenance and safety valve work were already authorized and don’t require new Coastal Commission permits, disputing claims in a recent enforcement notice.
February 18, 2025
Sable Sues Coastal Commission Over Pipeline Dispute
Sable Offshore and its subsidiary Pacific Pipeline Company are suing the California Coastal Commission, challenging its authority over previously permitted pipeline activities in Santa Barbara County.
Feburary 14, 2025
Coastal Commission Flags Pipeline Work as Unauthorized
The Coastal Commission says Sable’s recent work on the Line 903 pipeline lacked proper permits and may have violated coastal regulations.
February 12, 2025
Santa Barbara County Letter to Coastal Commission
Santa Barbara County is investigating whether Sable’s pipeline maintenance complies with local and state coastal rules.