We need your help now, more than ever!
GOO! is an all volunteer organization fighting the biggest oil companies in the world on a budget of less than $20,000 per year. We have been protecting the coast of California for 41 years and we could really use some donations to help us in this work.
We work for free, but our attorneys cost money, and so does just about everything else. A donation of any amount would help us keep the doors of this organization open. Thank you.
Pay online, or send a check by mail:
Post Office Box 23625
Santa Barbara, CA 93121
January 28, 2022
Dear Friend,
In 2021, ongoing COVID-19 issues continued to restrict the pace of many of the key oil related projects on which Get Oil Out! has been working, including proposals for additional oil development, proposals for decommissioning, and for the next Federal Five Year Leasing Plan.
Nonetheless, we saw some significant progress in our efforts to “get oil out” of the Santa Barbara Channel this past year, as outlined below.
Proposal to Truck Oil from the Gaviota Coast to Santa Maria
In 2017, Exxon filed an application with Santa Barbara County to construct a truck rack and transport up to 70 trucks of oil per day (10,000-12,000 barrels/day) along Highways 101 and 166 from Las Flores Canyon to Santa Maria for up to seven years, unless a pipeline is completed sooner. On September 29th, following a great deal of work on the part of GOO! and its partners, Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN) and the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted to recommend to the County Board of Supervisors that it deny this risky proposal. GOO! and its partners will be urging the Board to adopt the Planning Commission’s recommendation at its hearing on February 8, 2022. If we are successful, Exxon will be unable to restart production on its platforms in the Channel, one of the key reasons that GOO! opposes this project.
Proposal to Construct a New Pipeline from Gaviota to Pentland
Plains All American Pipeline filed an application with Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties in 2017 to replace pipelines 901/903 from Las Flores to Pentland. The capacity of the new 125 mile pipeline would be 40,000 barrels/day. A 2.5 mile segment would run through the Carrizo Plains National Monument, which did not exist when the original pipeline was built. A 100,000 barrel storage facility will also be needed at the Sisquoc pump station. GOO! retained the Environmental Defense Center to draft scoping comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). The release of the DEIR is currently on hold at the applicant’s request, however, once it is released, GOO! and EDC will be reviewing and commenting on the document.
Decommissioning of at least Eight Platforms in Federal (7) and State (1) Waters
All of the wells on Platform Grace (Chevron) and Platforms Hidalgo, Harvest and Hermosa (Point Arguello Partners) in federal waters off of Carpinteria and the Gaviota Coast, respectively, have been successfully plugged and abandoned (abandonment work continues on Platform Gail in Carpinteria). Preparation is now underway for plugging and abandoning the wells on Platforms Hogan and Houchin (Signal Hill/Conoco Phillips).
Following an 18 month pause due to COVID-19, the plugging and abandonment process on 30 wells on Platform Holly, in State waters near Ellwood, has now resumed. Four wells have been abandoned and 14 are in progress with 12 remaining to begin. Following the completion of plugging and abandonment (12-18 months), it is estimated that it will take another two years before decommissioning of Platform Holly can occur. The environmental review process for Platform Holly is slated to begin in 2022! It is excellent news that these decommissioning projects are moving forward. However, GOO! will continue to follow these efforts to ensure that any significant impacts to the marine environment surrounding these platforms are avoided.
Draft OCS Five Year Leasing Plan
In January of 2018, the Trump Administration released a Draft Five Year Leasing Plan, proposing to lease all of the currently-unleased offshore tracts around the entire country, a Plan that GOO! adamantly opposed. Earlier this year, the Biden Administration withdrew the Trump proposal. The Department of Interior has since released an Interim Report, but it has not initiated preparation of the next Five Year Leasing Plan. Once it does, GOO! will evaluate that plan.
As you can see from this list, GOO! has much to do! Additionally, GOO! will continue to keep its radar attuned to all other oil development proposals that threaten our coastal environment.
Your support is critical to our fight against further oil development and our promotion of the local movement for renewable energy alternatives.
Please help us by becoming a new member or renewing your support by completing the form below and returning it with your membership/renewal payment today! Your contribution will advance our shared goal of preserving the astonishing beauty of Santa Barbara County, which we are so lucky to call home.
Sincerely,
Michael Lyons
President
