Gov. Newsom blasts Trump admin attempt to reopen California oil pipeline linked to devastating 2015 spill near Refugio State Beach
California – California Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing back forcefully against the Trump administration’s attempt to restart a controversial offshore oil pipeline, accusing the president of exploiting a global crisis he helped create to put California’s coastline at risk.
Last week, Newsom condemned President Donald Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright for invoking emergency powers under the Defense Production Act to try to force the restart of the Sable Offshore pipeline. The pipeline has been shut down for years following a catastrophic oil spill that contaminated beaches along the California coast.
According to Newsom, the federal move is both unlawful and politically motivated. He argued that the administration is attempting to shift blame for rising gasoline prices onto California while ignoring the broader consequences of its own military actions in the Middle East.
“Donald Trump started a war, admitted it would spike gas prices nationwide, and told Americans it was a small price to pay. Now he’s using this crisis of his own making to attempt what he’s wanted to do for years: open California’s coast for his oil industry friends so they can poison our beaches. This wouldn’t lower prices by a cent. This is an attempt to illegally restart a pipeline whose operators are facing criminal charges and prohibited by multiple court orders from restarting,” Newsom said.
Energy analysts have warned for years that any conflict affecting the Persian Gulf could disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes. With tensions escalating in the region, global supply disruptions have driven up fuel prices. Newsom said the administration’s attempt to reopen the pipeline would do little to change that reality.
Even if the pipeline resumed operations, experts estimate it would contribute only about 0.05 percent of total global oil production. In practical terms, the governor said, that amount would be far too small to influence worldwide energy markets or lower gasoline prices for American drivers.
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Instead, Newsom warned the move threatens California’s coastal communities, wildlife habitats, and a coastal economy worth more than $51 billion annually.
The Sable pipeline has remained offline since a major spill in 2015 near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County. During that disaster, about 142,000 gallons of crude oil spilled onto the shoreline, with thousands of birds and marine mammals killed and large areas of fisheries temporarily closed. The spill triggered costly cleanup operations and a $23.3 million settlement, while local tourism and fishing industries suffered significant losses.
Following the incident, courts imposed strict conditions on the pipeline’s operation. A federal court order issued in 2020 requires approval from California safety inspectors before the pipeline can restart. The operator was also ordered to pay more than $60 million for environmental damage and penalties tied to the spill.
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State officials say those legal protections remain firmly in place. Earlier this year, California’s State Fire Marshal and Attorney General Rob Bonta challenged federal attempts to bypass state oversight of the pipeline. In a separate case in Santa Barbara County, a judge issued an injunction preventing the company from restarting operations until all state approvals are secured.
Prosecutors in Santa Barbara County have also filed criminal charges against the pipeline operator over alleged violations of California water protection laws.
Newsom said California will continue to defend its authority and enforce court orders if the federal government attempts to move forward.
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The governor emphasized that the state’s safety regulations exist because of the damage caused by the 2015 spill. Those rules, he said, are designed to protect the environment, local communities, and the economy that depends on a clean and healthy coastline.
