Trump Administration Moves to Allow Sable's Offshore Oil Restart in Santa Barbara

President issues executive order to preempt state authority and greenlight project despite environmental concerns

Mar. 13, 2026 at 11:18pm

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President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would authorize the Secretary of the Energy Department to approve Sable Offshore's efforts to restart oil production at the Santa Ynez Unit off the coast of Gaviota, California. This comes despite opposition from the state's Office of the State Fire Marshal, which has raised concerns about the safety of the pipeline that was the source of the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill.

Why it matters

The move is part of a broader sequence of federal actions to override state authority and allow Sable to restart its offshore oil operations, despite environmental groups' concerns about the safety and environmental impact of the project. The Trump administration is citing national security interests and the need to boost oil supplies amid global market turmoil as justification for the action.

The details

Friday's executive order empowers the Secretary of Energy to greenlight Sable's project without first consulting the president. The administration is invoking the 1950 Defense Production Act, which gives the president broad powers to allocate economic resources in the name of national security. Sable has argued the restart is necessary to ensure adequate fuel supplies for military bases in California, but environmental groups have dismissed these claims as "fearmongering and exaggeration."

  • On Friday, President Trump issued the executive order authorizing the Energy Department to approve Sable's offshore oil restart.
  • In December, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration asserted that it, not the state Fire Marshal, has jurisdictional control over the pipeline restart.
  • In October, the State Fire Marshal ruled that Sable had not yet completed all the necessary repairs to safely restart the pipeline.

The players

Sable Offshore

An oil company that purchased the Santa Ynez Unit off the coast of Gaviota, California from Exxon two years ago and is seeking to restart offshore oil production at the site.

California Attorney General

The state's top law enforcement official, who is fighting the federal government's efforts to preempt state authority and allow Sable to restart its offshore oil operations.

California Office of the State Fire Marshal

The state agency that has raised concerns about the safety of the pipeline Sable wants to use to restart oil production, citing long-term corrosion issues.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who issued the executive order authorizing the Energy Department to approve Sable's offshore oil restart project.

Jeremey Frankel

An attorney with the Environmental Defense Center, which is fighting Sable's efforts to restart offshore oil production.

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What they’re saying

“This oil isn't going to bring the price of oil down, not by one cent. Trump is using a war that he started to increase profits for his friends in the oil business.”

— Jeremey Frankel, Attorney, Environmental Defense Center (independent.com)

What’s next

The California Attorney General is expected to continue fighting the federal government's efforts to preempt state authority and allow Sable to restart its offshore oil operations, setting up further legal battles over the project.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's move to override state opposition and greenlight Sable's offshore oil restart in Santa Barbara County highlights the ongoing tensions between federal and state authority, as well as the broader debate over the role of fossil fuel production in addressing national security and energy supply concerns.