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California Battles Feds Over Restarted Oil Pipelines
24 Jan
Summary
- California is suing the federal government over pipeline restart approval.
- A 2015 spill from one pipeline polluted 150 miles of coast.
- The state asserts federal authority infringes on its regulatory power.
California is taking legal action against the federal government, protesting the recent approval for a Texas-based company to restart two oil pipelines along the state's coast. The lawsuit, filed Friday, centers on the federal administration's decision to allow Sable Offshore Corp. to resume production in waters off Santa Barbara.
California's Attorney General, Rob Bonta, declared that the federal administration lacks the right to usurp the state's regulatory authority. He emphasized the state's commitment to protecting its coast, beaches, and communities from potentially hazardous pipelines, referencing a significant 2015 oil spill that originated from one of the pipelines.
The 2015 incident resulted in over 140,000 gallons of oil spilling, blackening beaches for 150 miles and causing extensive environmental damage. This event remains the state's worst oil spill in decades, harming marine life and the fishing industry.
Despite California's efforts to reduce fossil fuel production, the federal government has moved to increase U.S. energy production, which includes plans for new offshore oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts. Critics argue these plans pose risks to coastal communities and ecosystems, while the federal government views restarting the pipelines as a way to supply much-needed American energy to California.
