California Sues Trump Administration Over Federal Authority on Sable Offshore Pipelines

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday that the state is suing the Trump administration over its decision to assert federal authority on two oil pipelines operated by Sable Offshore, reigniting a long-running dispute tied to offshore drilling near Santa Barbara. The lawsuit challenges the federal government’s move to reclassify the Las Flores pipelines as “interstate,” a change that allowed oil pumping to restart despite strong opposition from California officials.

The pipelines are connected to a drilling project that was shut down after a major 2015 oil spill released more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, contaminating beaches and marine habitats along the Santa Barbara coast. The incident remains one of California’s most notorious environmental disasters and continues to shape public and political opposition to offshore oil production.

According to Bonta, the reclassification was unlawful because the pipelines run entirely within California, crossing only between two counties. He argued that the decision stripped the state of its regulatory authority and was carried out at the request of Houston-based Sable Offshore. Speaking at a press conference on a Los Angeles beach, Bonta accused the Trump administration of favoring fossil fuel interests, calling the action a “pretext for usurping state oversight.”

The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), however, defended its decision, stating that the pipelines had been regulated as interstate for decades and that returning them to federal jurisdiction was appropriate. PHMSA said restarting the pipelines would help deliver American energy to California, a state known for having some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation, and expressed hope for a swift legal resolution.

Sable Offshore cited a national energy emergency declared by President Donald Trump as justification for seeking an emergency permit to resume operations. The company did not respond to requests for comment following the lawsuit’s announcement.

The legal battle highlights ongoing tensions between President Trump, who has pushed to expand domestic oil and gas production, and California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal critic of Trump and a leading advocate for aggressive climate change policies. The case will be filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.