Sable Offshore Corp. has asked the Trump Administration to use eminent domain to seize part of Gaviota State Park as part of an effort to establish a West Coast strategic petroleum reserve, according to news reports.
POLITICO reported that Sable is asking the administration to condemn and seize miles of private and state-owned land in California, including a large portion of the state park, a 3-mile stretch off the coast, and a piece of undeveloped land north of Buellton.
Sable did not respond to a request for a comment about the request.
The company owns the Santa Ynez Unit oil and gas facilities which include a pipeline that runs through Santa Barbara County, including under Gaviota State Park land. Sable controversially restarted production earlier this year, with federal agencies directing it, although court injunctions are in place.
The Center for Biological Diversity criticized the recent letter, saying that approving the request would be a major handout to Sable.
“Seizing a big chunk of one of California’s most beautiful parks to boost a private oil company would be an unlawful and utterly outrageous abuse of federal power,” said Talia Nimmer, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement.
“Trump officials should think twice before granting this shameless request. California’s coast took a massive hit from this pipeline system’s last leak, and we’ll fight to protect our ocean from another massive oil spill.”
The Santa Ynez Unit includes the pipeline, a processing facility, and three offshore oil platforms. One of the lines, CA-324, is the same pipeline that ruptured in 2015, leading to the Refugio Oil Spill.
Sable purchased the pipeline from ExxonMobil in 2024 and began rehabilitating the pipeline despite pushback from environmental groups who claimed the line was unsafe and cease-work orders from the California Coastal Commission.
The federal government directed Sable to restart production under the Defense Production Act in March, and the Texas-based company started pumping and transporting oil later that month.
Part of the pipeline in question runs under Gaviota State Park. The line was originally installed as part of an easement granted to the line’s former operators.
Officials from the California Department of Parks and Recreation and Sable were negotiating a new easement, but the State Parks Department ended negotiations and demanded that the pipeline be removed from its land.
A federal judge denied a request for an injunction by the Department of Parks and Recreation in May because of a lack of evidence of imminent danger from the pipeline.
“The pipeline operated for nearly 30 years below plaintiff’s property without incident,” Judge Stephen V. Wilson said in his decision.
“Although the pipeline was initially discontinued due to a catastrophic spill, it is not alleged that any part of the relevant pipeline was responsible for the offending leak, particularly not the segment running beneath the park,” the decision said.
