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Environmental & Energy

Jun. 10, 2026

Judge questions federal effort to override pipeline safety accord

California argues the Trump administration cannot use the Defense Production Act to sidestep a court-approved consent decree governing the restart of the Santa Ynez oil pipeline.

A federal judge on Monday heard arguments in an ongoing legal clash between the State of California and the federal government over whether emergency national security powers under the Defense Production Act (DPA) can be used to override a court-approved safety agreement and restart the Santa Ynez oil pipeline.

The dispute stems from a March order invoking the DPA to reopen segments of the pipeline that failed in 2015, causing the Refugio oil spill. The state argues that the order...

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