Environmental Defense Center sues over Trump administration pipeline permit

The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) and several conservation groups have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to challenge a “special permit” that allows oil to flow through pipelines with a history of severe corrosion. The permit waives specific federal safety regulations for onshore pipelines CA-324 and CA-325. One of these lines was responsible for the 2015 Plains Oil Spill at Refugio State Beach, one of the most significant oil disasters in California history.

Sable Offshore Corp., the current owner of the pipelines, restarted operations in March following an order issued under the Defense Production Act. The administration cited a “national emergency” to fast-track approvals, allowing the company to operate outside of standard state environmental, safety, and property laws. While administration officials have promoted the project as safe, Sable recently notified Santa Barbara County of approximately a dozen “anomalies” or defects that may require excavation and repairs.