by Katy Grimes, E&E Legal Senior Media Fellow and California Globe Editor
As Appearing in the California Globe
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright Friday directed Sable Offshore Corp. to restore operations of the Santa Ynez Unit and Santa Ynez Pipeline System
President Donald J. Trump has the authority to restart an oil pipeline project off the Santa Barbara coast by invoking the Defense Production Act, the Department of Justice said last week in a legal opinion, to override California laws blocking the restart of offshore oil production and the Santa Ynez Pipeline System.
The opinion explains that presidential directives issued under congressional authority carry the force of federal law and may override conflicting state regulations, the Pipeline & Gas Journal explains. “An order issued as an exercise of congressionally delegated authority or the President’s constitutional powers has the force of federal law under the Supremacy Clause and may preempt contrary state law,” the memo says.
In response to President Trump’s invoking the defense production action, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright directed Sable Offshore Corp. Friday to restore operations of the Santa Ynez Unit and Santa Ynez Pipeline System to address supply disruption risks caused by California policies that have left the region and U.S. military forces dependent on foreign oil.
The Executive Order, Adjusting Certain Delegations Under the Defense Production Act,” specifies the “National Defense Resources Preparedness.”
