Supervisors Bob Nelson, left, and Steve Lavagnino were on opposite sides of the vote to deny the transfer to Sable Offshore Corp. of operating permits for oil-production facilities on the Gaviota Coast.
Supervisors Bob Nelson, left, and Steve Lavagnino were on opposite sides of the vote to deny the transfer to Sable Offshore Corp. of operating permits for oil-production facilities on the Gaviota Coast. Credit: Nick Forselles / Noozhawk photo

After months of debate, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 on Tuesday to deny the transfer to Sable Offshore Corp. of operating permits for oil-production facilities on the Gaviota Coast.

The board rejected the transfer for the Santa Ynez Facility due to questions about the oil company’s safety record and its ongoing legal troubles.

Second District Supervisor Laura Capps, First District Supervisor Roy Lee, and Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino voted for the denial.

Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson cast the lone vote against the denial.

Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann recused herself from the vote due to new information showing that part of an oil pipeline runs near her property.

Capps stated that county staff had put together findings showing that Sable is not fit to operate the Santa Ynez Facility.

Even though the county Planning Commission previously approved the transfer, Capps said the board must consider new evidence that has come to light.

“The evidence has just continued to grow from that time,” Capps said. “With criminal charges, state enforcement actions, serious permitting violations, outstanding safety deficiencies, and unresolved financial concerns, to me it’s clear as day that that standard has clearly not (been) met.”

The vote was a continuation of a November vote in which the supervisors considered the permit transfer but decided not to approve it. The board instead instructed county staff to return with official findings to deny the transfer.

Sable was hoping to acquire the permits as part of its plan to restart the Santa Ynez Unit, which would allow the company to move forward with its goal of restarting oil production.

A crowd was on hand for the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors hearing on the request to transfer to Sable Offshore Corp. operating permits for oil-production facilities on the Gaviota Coast.
A crowd was on hand for the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors hearing on the request to transfer to Sable Offshore Corp. operating permits for oil-production facilities on the Gaviota Coast. Credit: Nick Forselles / Noozhawk photo

The Santa Ynez Unit includes offshore platforms, a Gaviota Coast processing facility, and transportation pipelines.

One of the pipelines connected to the unit is Plains’ Line 901, which ruptured in 2015 and caused the Refugio Oil Spill. The rupture dumped 142,000 gallons of crude oil onto the Gaviota shoreline and into the ocean.

Line 901 was owned by Plains All American Pipeline when it burst in 2015, and it was later purchased by ExxonMobil.

Sable formed in February 2024 and entered a deal to purchase the Santa Ynez Unit from ExxonMobil.

Sable drew the attention of the California Coastal Commission in November 2024 when it began excavating land in the commission’s zone to conduct work on the pipeline. The company claims that it was conducting repair work that was covered by permits issued to Plains All American in the 1980s.

The Coastal Commission disagreed with this argument and fined the company $8 million.

Since then, the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office announced that it had filed felony charges against Sable, including five charges of violating the California Water Code.

— Noozhawk staff writer Daniel Green can be reached at dgreen@noozhawk.com.