tranquillon ridge
LA Times Article--May 12, 2010
"Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill May Scuttle CA Offshore Drilling Deal: The Tranquillon Ridge project the Santa Barbara Channel was supported by a number of environmental groups. But now it looks dead in the water."
NEW AGREEMENT UNVEILED TO END OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING
April 7, 2010: The EDC, along with our clients Get Oil Out! and Citizens Planning Association, announced today the unveiling of a new agreement to end existing oil drilling operations offshore Santa Barbara County. In presenting the 2010 Tranquillon Ridge Plan, the environmental groups were joined at a press conference by Congresswoman Lois Capps, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal, Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, longtime activists Selma Rubin and Bob Sollen, and The Trust for Public Land.
"This plan sends only one message--and it sends it loud and clear: we are willing to go the extra mile to end the drilling along our coast. This is not a decision that we've made lightly. It's one we looked at closely. But, the bottom line is this: this plan puts an end to existing oil drilling off our coast and it will prevent any future drilling."
--Congresswoman Capps (
read her full statement)
The new Tranquillon Ridge Plan modifies and enhances the 2008 settlement agreement entered into by GOO!, CPA, and PXP, that would have shut down existing oil production from three offshore platforms in nine (9) years and a fourth platform in fourteen (14) years, as well as requiring the removal of two onshore support and processing facilities and hundreds of acres of onshore oil wells. The 2008 Tranquillon Ridge Plan was approved by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors but denied 2-1 by the California State Lands Commission (SLC) in January 2009.
The 2010 Plan responds to concerns raised by the SLC as follows:
- The settlement agreements with the Environmental Parties and TPL are public and posted on the EDC website;
- The State of California, including the SLC, is granted the right to enforce the Environmental Parties’ settlement agreement with PXP;
- PXP is required to surrender its Federal oil leases, thereby eliminating its ability to operate the four platforms after the “end dates” and removing any threat that the Federal government would force PXP to continue producing;
- PXP would have to disgorge, or give up, any profits that result should the end dates be violated;
- TPL has confirmed that there are no title or other issues that would interfere with the conveyance of the 3,900 acres for public benefit. These lands include the onshore support facilities and oil wells.
An annotated version of the Environmental Parties’ settlement agreement is available here. The TPL agreement is available here. Please also read our media packet and our factsheet on the agreement.
The Environmental Defense Center, on behalf of our clients Get Oil Out! (GOO!) and Citizens Planning Association of Santa Barbara (CPA), executed an historic and unprecedented agreement with Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) on April 9, 2008. In 2004, PXP had proposed to slant drill from an existing platform (Irene) -- located in Federal waters and currently producing oil and gas in the Pt. Pedernales Unit -- into the Tranquillon Ridge oil and gas field. In response to opposition from EDC and our clients, PXP agreed to end dates for all of its existing oil drilling operations offshore Santa Barbara County. PXP also agreed to fully mitigate the project's greenhouse gas emissions and protect significant lands in Santa Barbara County. Specifically, the following benefits will result from this Agreement:
- The Tranquillon Ridge Project will include an “end date” which will prohibit any extension of the life of existing oil and gas operations;
- PXP’s existing oil and gas operations will be shut down. PXP will phase out oil and gas production operations in the County, both offshore near Pt. Arguello and Pt. Conception and onshore near Lompoc and Gaviota;
- The three Pt. Arguello platforms will be shut down in 9 years and the Gaviota onshore processing facility will be removed;
- Platform Irene and 2,600 acres of onshore oil and gas wells will be shut down in 14 years and the Lompoc Oil and Gas Plant (LOGP) will be removed;
- All direct greenhouse gas emissions from the Tranquillon Ridge Project will be mitigated or offset, resulting in carbon neutrality;
- PXP will donate an additional $1,500,000 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the County; and
- PXP will convey approximately 3,900 acres of land to The Trust for Public Land (TPL), including approximately 3,700 acres adjacent to the Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve in the Lompoc Valley and up to 200 acres on the Gaviota Coast, for the benefit of the public.
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| Santa Barbara County Energy Divison Map |
references
Tranquillon Ridge Full Agreement-Annotated Version
Tranquillon Ridge Fact Sheet
Charitable Donation Agreement w/Trust for Public Lands
EDC's Statement on Attorneys' Fees Agreements
The History of EDC & the Tranquillon Ridge Project
Frequently Asked Questions
Lois Capps' Statement to State Lands Commission
Tranquillon Ridge Full Agreement- Un-Annotated Version
Maps
Santa Barbara County Energy Division
PXP Assets
Gaviota Lands
Lompoc Orientation
EDC Press Releases
May 3, 2010
Response to Governor's Withdrawal of Support for Tranquillon Ridge Plan to End Offshore Oil
April 29, 2010--EDC Statement on the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico
The tragic spill in the Gulf of Mexico re-affirms the threat of ongoing oil development and highlights the importance of the Tranquillon Ridge plan to end existing offshore oil development.
April 7, 2010--Media Packet
New Plan Unveiled to End Existing Oil Drilling Offshore Santa Barbara County:
Congresswoman Capps, County Supervisor Carbajal, and Santa Barbara Mayor Schneider join Environmental Groups in Supporting New Plan for Tranquillon Ridge
Contents: Press Release, Statement by Congresswoman Capps, Supervisor Carbajal, Mayor Schneider, and the Trust for Public Land
February 10, 2010
Environmental Groups Respond to Governor's Proposal to Include Tranquillon Ridge in State Budget: Groups Continune to Work on Revisions to Plan to End Oil
January 8, 2010
Environmentalists Support State Reconsideration of Plan to End Oil: Gov Budget Would Preserve Existing Requirement for State Lands Commission Approval of Tranquillon Ridge Proposal
January 27, 2009
Environmental Groups Urge CA State Lands Commission to Support Deal to End Offshore Oil Drilling
October 7, 2008
Environmental Groups Celebrate Decision that will Phase Out Oil Development and Protect Lands in Santa Barbara County
April 10, 2008
Environmental Groups Announce Landmark Agreement to Limit Oil Development & Protect Lands in Santa Barbara
