CHANNEL ISLANDS : Panel Challenges Oil Tanker Routing
The California Coastal Commission gave its staff permission Wednesday to appeal a federal decision reached this week that allows Exxon Corp. to resume routing tankers filled with crude oil within 50 miles of the ecologically fragile Channel Islands.
Meeting in Long Beach, the commission directed its staff to try to work out a compromise with the Houston-based oil giant or initiate a formal appeal of the federal Minerals Management Service decision that gave Exxon permission to resume the tanker shipping operation.
The federal agency’s decision, issued by letter Wednesday, upset Santa Barbara County and state Coastal Commission officials who argued that the shipping operation is not permitted under the terms of state and county permits.
“The commission voted to try and resolve this dispute by having its staff continue talks with Exxon,” said Nancy Minick, an energy division analyst with Santa Barbara County. “But should that fail, they have the authority to begin the formal appeal.”
The issue came to light last October when regulators were informed by the company of the shipping operation. Exxon moves crude oil from its Santa Ynez Unit to the San Francisco Bay by pipeline, and once a month transfers about 200,000 barrels into a tanker that sails to Los Angeles Harbor, skirting within 50 miles the Channel Islands.
Neither Exxon nor Minerals Management Service officials could be reached for comment late Wednesday.
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