Environmental & Energy
Aug. 24, 2026
Judge backs federal authority over Sable pipeline but fines company $1.45M
A federal judge upheld the Trump administration's authority to direct operation of Sable Offshore's Santa Barbara oil pipeline under the Defense Production Act, but ruled the company violated a federal consent decree by restarting portions of the system without state approval.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson handed the federal government a significant victory in the sprawling fight over Sable Offshore Corp.'s restart of an oil pipeline along the Santa Barbara coast, upholding federal authority over key aspects of the pipeline's operation and rejecting California's bid to block a Defense Production Act order directing operation of the pipeline.
But Wilson's 45-page order Wednesday was not a clean win for Sable. The judge found the c...
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