AG Bonta today filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, challenging the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) orders that illegally assert exclusive jurisdiction over two California onshore oil pipelines, known as the Las Flores Pipelines or lines CA-324 and CA-325, and allow them to restart operations. Filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the Attorney General’s petition for review challenges PHMSA’s attempt to evade state regulation through its orders to federalize the Las Flores Pipelines, approve Sable Offshore Corp.’s (Sable) Restart Plan, and issue Sable an emergency permit to restart oil transport through the pipelines. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and the Office of the State Fire Marshal argue that PHMSA’s orders violate the Administrative Procedure Act and ask the Court to overturn PHMSA’s illegal orders. 

“In its latest unlawful power grab, the Trump Administration is illegally claiming exclusive federal authority over two of California’s onshore pipelines. California has seen first-hand the devastating environmental and public health impacts of coastal oil spills — yet the Trump Administration will stop at nothing to evade state regulation which protects against these very disasters. The President is once again prioritizing his donors over our people and communities. California will not stand idly by as the President endangers California’s beautiful coastline and our public health to increase profits for his fossil fuel industry friends.” – AG Bonta