California Urges Federal Pipeline Agency to Deny Sable Permits

The federal government doesn’t have the authority to approve the restart of Sable Offshore Corp.‘s pipeline system, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

State agencies “have sole regulatory oversight over any attempt to restart” the Las Flores pipeline system in Santa Barbara, Calif., even after Energy Secretrary Chris Wright instructed Sable to pump oil following a Defense Production Act order from President Donald Trump, according to the filing.

At issue is Sable’s application for a special permit that would waive a PHMSA requirement to “evaluate and remediate” corrosion on ...