Six months after enlisting the Trump administration to steamroll widespread opposition to its operations, the Sable Offshore oil company has informed local officials that new tests reveal at least a dozen weaknesses in an antiquated pipeline it is using to transport oil across Santa Barbara County.
The latest outrage about the rogue Texas oil company came to light in a deeply detailed report by — who else? — Nick Welsh of the Independent, who dug out the latest twist in the long-running Sable saga and joined Newsmakers TV on Sunday night to discuss his reporting.
In another development signaling its disregard for California judges and government agencies, Sable had already undertaken to excavate the pipeline — days before even informing county officials of “anomalies” in the line, which ruptured and caused the 2015 Refugio spill, and which the oil company assured the world was perfectly safe before restarting pumping last March.
“According to Sable and the Trump administration, this pipeline was supposed to be totally safe,” environmental attorney and Sable nemesis Linda Krop told Welsh. “But just six months after starting, they are already finding so-called ‘anomalies,’ which are defects that are serious enough that they require excavations and potential repairs.”
In an interview with the genial host, Nick reprises his reporting, puts it into historical context and discusses the perplexing role being played in the controversy by the County Counsel’s office, which has perturbed some members of the Board of Supervisors.
Check out our conversation about the last Sable oil scandal via YouTube below or by clicking this link. Our podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, or on SoundCloud. TVSB, Channel 17, airs the show every weeknight at 5 p.m. and at 9 a.m. on weekends. KCSB, 91.9 FM, broadcasts the program at 5:30 p.m. on weekends.
Image: Clean-up of the Refugio oil spill (Patagonia.com).
Thank you SB NEwsmakers, for this on-the -spot reporting on the Sable pipeline project. It’s Sunday night, nobody is looking at the news… and you are THERE for those of us who watch every day.
Our area is rich with excellent journalists. We are blessed!
And our residents are smarter for it.