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To: Bluedot Living
From: Get Oil Out!
Subject: Stopping Sable
On January 28, 1969, a disaster of unbelievable proportions struck Santa Barbara. Union Oil’s Platform A, six miles from shore and in 188 feet of water, suffered a “blow out” in the Santa Barbara Channel. In less than 24 hours, 75 square miles of ocean were covered in oil, and 210,000 gallons continued spilling each day for more than a week, resulting in the worst man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history at the time.
Within 24 hours, a group of concerned citizens assembled to fight back. They formed an organization called Get Oil Out! (GOO!). Since 1969, GOO! has been fighting proposals for oil and gas development, from leasing to production.
Sable Oil Corporation’s Restart Proposal
In what became known as the Refugio Oil spill, more than 450,000 gallons of crude oil gushed into the Santa Barbara Channel in May of 2015, spreading at least 150 miles to the south and damaging 1,500 acres of shoreline habitat and 2,200 acres of subtidal habitat. Sable Oil proposes to use the same badly corroded oil pipeline that burst in 2015 to resume oil production from three platforms on the western Gaviota Coast. GOO! is convinced that this pipeline, which now lacks adequate protection from erosion, will spill again if returned to service. If it does, Sable will have little financial resources with which to respond to a significant oil spill like the one in 2015. GOO! is working with multiple environmental groups to stop this risky proposal in its tracks.
What You Can Do
Take Action Against Sable
Make your voice heard by writing to public agencies and elected officials, including the California Coastal and State Lands Commissions, State Parks Department, State Fire Marshal, your county supervisor, state assemblymember, state senators, and the governor. Let them know this proposal is too risky for our coast.
You can also take steps in your own life to reduce dependence on fossil fuels: Use public transportation, ride a bike, or install solar panels if you’re able. Collectively, small actions make a difference!
Join Get Oil Out!
Our strength is in our numbers, so join us! Chat with us on Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival at Alameda Park.
Donate at getoilout.org and sign up to receive our quarterly newsletters. We’ll keep you informed about the latest updates on Sable and other oil development proposals, as well as upcoming events.
