(San Francisco, September 10, 2025) – The State of California should refuse permission to restart the Las Flores pipeline system, Climate Rights International said in a new briefing paper today. Governor Gavin Newsom, regulators, and other state leaders should put the health and safety of local communities, marine life, and the need to transition away from fossil fuels above the financial interests of oil and gas companies.
The Las Flores pipeline, formerly operated by Plains All American, was the source of the devastating 2015 oil spill at Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara, one of the worst coastal disasters in California history, which spilled over 100,000 gallons of crude oil on the coast. The pipeline was then shut down and widely assumed to be permanently decommissioned. But in recent months, Sable Offshore Corp., a newly formed company whose purchase of the pipeline was financed by ExxonMobil, has pushed to restart the same corroded infrastructure without applying for permits, submitting to public input, or undergoing any environmental review.
“Governor Newsom has taken a strong stand on addressing climate change, so his failure to publicly oppose this pipeline restart is puzzling and worrisome,” said Brad Adams, Executive Director at Climate Rights International. “If he wants to be seen as a national and even international leader on climate change, he should make it clear that he will not allow one of the most dangerous offshore pipelines in the country to come back online.”…