SEATTLE (Oil Monster): ExxonMobil’s bid to truck millions of gallons of crude oil in central California has been rejected by the top court. Earlier in 2022, the Santa Barbara County Board Supervisors had turned down the company’s request to transport crude from three wells using trucks. The federal judge declined to overturn this decision.
The pipeline was shut in May 2015 after a corroded section above the ground ruptured, as a result of which nearly 140,000 gallons of oil spilled over to a state beach and into the ocean. The incident shuttered the drilling platforms as well.
ExxonMobil had sought transporting oil via up to 24,820 tanker trucks a year on coastal Highway 101 and State Route 166 for up to seven years. The company stated that there was no other option left for the company to shift oil from the offshore wells to onshore processing plants until the pipeline is restored.
However, the County Board Supervisors turned down the proposal citing chances of potential spills and accidents and its impact on local traffic. The environmental groups too had opposed the idea.
Commenting on the court decision, Linda Krop, chief counsel of the Environmental Defense Center said that the decision of the court puts the safety of its communities, climate, and coastlines first. ExxonMobil’s plan is reckless, dangerous, and totally unwelcome, Krop added.
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