The California Coastal Commission will seek a cease-and-desist order against Sable Offshore Corp. and its use of its pipelines through the coastal zone.

On Tuesday, the commission issued a letter to Steve Rusch, Sable’s vice president of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs, stating that it intends to seek the order for the pipelines located along the Gaviota Coast, along with further administrative penalties.

If the commission does receive the cease-and-desist order, it would block Sable from actively using the pipelines to transfer oil.

In the letter, the commission informed Sable that both sides can come to a resolution if the oil company agrees to meet with the commission and consent to the penalties and order.

“However, if such a settlement is not possible, we will be forced to resolve this violation through the proposal of unilateral orders at a hearing, as we have before against Sable,” the letter read.

In a statement to Noozhawk, Sable defended its actions, saying it has the authority to complete work in the coastal zone under its previous agreements.

“Sable Offshore Corp. through its subsidiary, Pacific Pipeline Company (PPC), continues to lawfully operate through its existing coastal development permits which were issued in 1986,” the statement read.  

“Sable has addressed the Coastal Commission’s actions in an existing federal court lawsuit filed by PPC against the State of California challenging California’s ability to impose an additional Coastal Commission permitting requirement on the Santa Ynez Pipeline System. Sable will continue to work with the federal government, acting through the Department of Justice, to enforce federal law for federally regulated critically needed energy assets.”

The pipelines in question are CA-324 and CA-325, which connect Santa Barbara County-area oil platforms and processing facilities to out-of-area refineries.

Pipeline 324, previously known as Line 901, is the same pipeline that ruptured in 2015, leading to the damaging Refugio oil spill.

At the time of the spill, the pipeline was owned by Plains All American Pipeline but was later sold to ExxonMobil, which transferred it to Sable in 2024.

At the time of the purchase, the line was inactive because of the need for repairs and court-mandated approvals agreed to in the aftermath of the spill.

Since obtaining the pipeline, Sable has been working to restart oil production.

Sable recently reactivated the pipeline after receiving authorization orders from President Donald Trump, who invoked the Defense Production Act to require the company to begin production.

The company officially reactivated the pipeline in March and has been transporting oil to refineries for sale to Chevron.

The California Coastal Commission previously issued cease-and-desist orders to Sable after the company did coastal pipeline work without permits.

The commission claims that the work hurt the area, causing land erosion and disrupting protected wildlife species such as the southwestern pond turtle and the Southern California steelhead.

The company argued that previous approvals granted to ExxonMobil and obtained during the sale allow it to complete this work.  

The commission disagreed and fined Sable $18 million for the unauthorized work. Sable eventually ended up suing the commission, claiming that the notices of violations and orders “unlawfully prevent” the company from performing its work. A judge ruled that Sable conducted that work without proper permits.

A Superior Court judge has also upheld an injunction against Sable restarting oil operations in Santa Barbara County, and said the company may have violated the injunction.

“Once again, Sable is being put on notice that they are violating the law,” Linda Krop, the Environmental Defense Center’s chief counsel, said in response to the latest California Coastal Commission letter. “Even after felony criminal charges, multiple attorney general lawsuits and a historic fine from the Coastal Commission, Sable is now ignoring a new state law requiring a permit for the restart of defunct oil facilities, including the company’s failed pipeline.

“Once again, Sable is being put on notice that they are violating the law,” Linda Krop, the Environmental Defense Center’s chief counsel, said in response to the latest California Coastal Commission letter. “Even after felony criminal charges, multiple attorney general lawsuits and a historic fine from the Coastal Commission, Sable is now ignoring a new state law requiring a permit for the restart of defunct oil facilities, including the company’s failed pipeline.

“Any oil project operating outside of environmental and public safety laws puts our communities at risk of another disaster.”