2019 will determine the future of oil production in Santa Barbara County. Several large oil projects are proposed that would triple onshore production, and Exxon is seeking to restart offshore oil drilling from three platforms on the Gaviota coast that have been shut down since the 2015 oil spill. Defeating them would send a strong signal that our area is making a true commitment to act on climate and chart a new path forward.

Major onshore oil drilling expansion in Cat Canyon near Santa Maria: Three projects totaling 760 wells drill through the Santa Maria groundwater basin, the only local source of drinking water for northern Santa Barbara County, and lock in production for 30-50 years using carbon & pollution-intensive cyclic steam and flooding.

Company                                              Size                Timeline & Status
1. ERG CAT CANYON                          233 wells         Final EIR 2/19, Planning Commission 3/27/19
2. AERA CAT CANYON                        296 wells         Draft EIR in process.
3. PETRO ROCK CAT CANYON          230 wells         Application finalized and draft EIR in process.
Total:                                                     759 wells

Exxon wants to resume dangerous offshore oil drilling after tragic 2015 spill: Exxon seeks to restart three offshore oil platforms shut down since the 2015 spill and transport the oil up the 101 via 70 tanker trucks a day pending new pipeline. Just convicted of a felony for causing the spill, Plains Pipeline has applied to build a new 123-mile pipeline as alternative to the one that burst, bulldozing a 100-foot corridor along the entire route, crossing three rivers, three counties, the San Andreas fault, and enabling offshore production for decades to come.

Company                                           Size                    Timeline & Status
4. Exxon Trucking Project                  70 trucks/day       Draft EIR expected end of March 2019
5. Plains Pipeline (Lines 901 & 903) 123-mile pipeline  Draft EIR in process

What you can do: Show up at hearings. Send written comments. All five projects will go to the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission and then the Board of Supervisors. You can send an email asking for denial of these projects, starting with ERG, which is going to the Planning Commission on March 27, to:

David Villalobos, Board Assistant Supervisor
dvillalo@co.santa-barbara.ca.us