The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to deny the transfer of operating permits for offshore facilities from ExxonMobil to Sable Offshore Corp. The Supervisors voted 3-1 on December 15, following a preliminary decision in November. The permits covered the Santa Ynez Unit, a gas plant, and the Las Flores Pipelines. The transfer of permits was a key step in restarting the Santa Ynez Unit, which has been shut since the 2015 Refugio oil spill.
The board’s denial of the transfers centered on issues over the company’s safety record, conflict with the California Coastal Commission, and its recent criminal charges. Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson was the only supervisor who voted against denying the transfer. Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann recused herself, as part of an oil pipeline runs near her property.
In 2025, Sable faced an $18 million fine from the California Coastal Commission for refusing to comply with its orders to stop work on the pipelines. The company was indicted on 21 criminal charges in September for discharging pollutants into local creeks and waterways. There have also been allegations that the company staff leaked inside information to investors.
The Board of Supervisors took up the matter after the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission initially voted 3-1 to approve the transfer of the permits in October 2024. Appeals from the Environmental Defense Center and Center for Biological Diversity sent the decision to the Board of Supervisors, which then deadlocked in a 2-2 vote in February 2025. The tie vote led to no action on the permit transfer. Sable then sued Santa Barbara County in May over the issue, and a federal judge ordered the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to hold on public hearing on the matter.