Last Updated on March 14, 2026 by The HD Post Staff
CALIFORNIA – U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) condemned the Trump administration’s orders directing Sable Offshore Corp. to restart long-shuttered oil operations at the Santa Ynez Unit and Pipeline System along California’s coastline.
The order is intended to increase U.S. oil production quickly using existing offshore infrastructure.
“Californians have repeatedly rejected dangerous drilling off our coast for decades. Now, after dragging the U.S. into a war with Iran and driving up oil prices, the Trump administration is trying to exploit this crisis to further enrich the oil industry at the expense of our communities and our environment,” Padilla said.
Pipeline shut down since 2015 oil spill
The offshore oil system at the center of the dispute was shut down after the 2015 Refugio oil spill.
A Plains All American Pipeline line ruptured near Refugio State Beach, sending thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Santa Barbara Channel.
“We’ve seen firsthand the devastation oil spills cause to our oceans, our communities and our economy. California has shown a better way, investing in clean energy and protecting the coastline that millions of Californians depend on,” Padilla said.
Padilla said the state will fight the effort and continue to protect California’s coast.
“We will see them back in court”
Federal officials said the order was issued under the Defense Production Act. The law gives the government authority to direct private industry during national emergencies.
Other California officials have also criticized the order.
“This is an attempt to illegally restart a pipeline whose operators are facing criminal charges and prohibited by multiple court orders from restarting,” governor Gavin Newsom said.
He added the state expects to “see them back in court.”
In January, California sued the federal government over its approval of Houston-based Sable’s plan to restart coastal pipelines.
Attorney General Rob Bonta said at the time that the state regulates pipelines through Santa Barbara and Kern counties and that federal officials “have no right to usurp California’s regulatory authority.”
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