EDC Stops Sable Offshore from Concealing Oil Spill Plan

By Jesse Caverly / VOICE

SECRET INFORMATION CONCERNING A SABLE OFFSHORE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN HAS BEEN OPENED TO THE PUBLIC, due to a ruling by a Superior Court Judge in favor of the Environmental Defense Center. The ruling concerns a report filed by Sable as they attempt to restart the failed All Plains America pipeline, which caused the 2015 Refugio oil spill.

“This pipeline has already caused one of the worst spills in recent California history,” said EDC Executive Director Alex Katz. “If Sable is allowed to restart it, another spill is not a matter of if, but when. It is critical for the public to know Sable’s plan for dealing with emergencies, and what the company thinks a ‘worst case’ scenario would look like.”

In June the EDC filed a Public Records Act request for the Integrated Contingency Plan (ICP) document that Sable submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW.) Upon learning this, Sable Offshore sued the State of California and EDC in order to prevent EDC from receiving a copy of the document, citing “national security.”

The redacted document contains information about Sable Offshore’s contingency plans, plans to handle emergencies, and the company’s analysis of a potential “worst case” spill. After CDFW informed Sable that it was going to release the document, Sable sued to keep it secret.

“Sable made no credible argument to justify its claims that the condition of the pipeline and the company’s plan for a worst-case oil spill should be concealed from the public,” said Jeremy Frankel, EDC Staff Attorney. “The judge correctly ruled that the public has a right to this information. This information will help EDC and the public respond to Sable’s applications to restart the very pipeline that ruptured in 2015, causing one of the largest oil spills in California history.” installs modern safety valve technology.

The Refugio spill impacted 150 miles of the California coast, damaged thousands of acres of shoreline and subtidal habitats, killed an untold numbers of animals, shut down fisheries, cost hundreds of millions to clean up, and resulted in criminal convictions for the former owner.

According to a draft Environmental Impact Report from Santa Barbara County, restarting the compromised pipeline likely would result in a spill every year, and a major rupture every four years. The county predicted that ruptures could be nearly twice the size of the Refugio spill, even if Sable

In the Sacramento County Superior Court’s hearing on Sable’s request for a preliminary injunction, the Court ruled that there were no binding legal impediments to the State releasing the information to the public, and Judge Acquisto denied the request.

According to Frankel, EDC has received the full 300 page document on August 22nd and are now reviewing it. Once this is done, they plan to release it to the public shortly after.

Sable faces significant challenges. It also must obtain county permit transfers from Exxon to Sable and secure lease assignments from the State Lands Commission. There is also the matter of getting safety valve installment permits, which are currently in litigation with the planning commission.