Use Your Voice. Protect our coast.
Last month, more than a hundred community members showed up at the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors hearing urging them to deny Sable Offshore Corp. permits for oil and gas facilities including the very pipeline that caused the catastrophic oil spill ten years ago on the Gaviota Coast. Our voices were heard, and the Board took a powerful stand against Sable’s pressure, directing County staff to prepare the findings and recommendations needed to formally deny Sable’s permit transfer requests. The Board’s actions signal a growing consensus: Sable cannot be trusted to operate responsibly, and we will not let this oil company rewrite the rules for its own benefit.
But our work isn’t done. We need your voice at another critical hearing at 9AM on December 16th to urge the Board to make a final vote to deny the transfer of these permits to Sable.
We are grateful that Supervisors Capps, Lee, Hartmann, and Lavagnino listened to the community and expressed their concerns about Sable last month. December 16th is our chance to finish what we started and make sure the Board denies Sable’s transfers once and for all.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend the hearing or send a public comment.
IN PERSON: Testify in person at the hearing on Tuesday, December 16, 9AM
Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Admin Building, Board Hearing Room
511 East Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria
* Please wear red!
To expedite entry please avoid bringing a bag.
VIRTUALLY: Testify virtually by Zoom – REGISTRATION REQUIRED
(Link to be released with agenda here)
* You Can also testify remotely in Santa Barbara at the County Administration Buildling hearing room, 105 E. Anapamu Street
EMAIL COMMENTS: by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 15 to [email protected]
* If comments are longer than 1-page, deadline is noon Friday, December 12
TALKING POINTS:
- The Board of Supervisors must deny Sable’s application to transfer permits for the Santa Ynez Unit, Las Flores Pipelines, and onshore processing facilities.
- Sable’s record makes clear the company does not have the skills, training, or financial resources to operate these dangerous oil facilities. For example:
- The California Coastal Commission fined Sable a record $18 million penalty;
- The state Attorney General filed a lawsuit accusing Sable of illegally discharging waste into streams and habitats;
- The District Attorney filed 21 criminal charges against the company, including five felonies; and
- The State Fire Marshal sent Sable a notice regarding noncompliance with the State Waiver requirements for the pipelines.
- Sable has not shown that it has the financial capacity to cleanup an oil spill or abandon the facilities.
