Right before the county supervisors convened behind closed doors to discuss the pending lawsuit filed against them by Exxon and Sable Offshore Corp., Supervisor Joan Hartmann dropped a bombshell: The alleged conflict of interest that prevented her voting on all matters involving Sable oil had been reevaluated and she was now legally permitted full voting rights, albeit under relatively narrow constraints.
That’s a big deal because with Hartmann recusing herself, the supervisors had been deadlocked in a perpetual 2-2 tie when voting on issues concerning Sable Offshore. That hadn’t stopped Hartmann from objecting forcefully to Sable’s efforts to restart Exxon’s long-sidelined facility up the Gaviota Coast, when speaking off the dais. The oil operation has been shut down since 2015 when the pipeline ruptured, causing a major spill.
With Hartmann now allowed back in the fray, the supervisors, at least on paper, would appear to tilt solidly against Sable. Hartmann has called climate change the existential crisis of our time, noting that if Sable is allowed to restart Exxon’s facility — which it purchased in February 2024 — it would account for roughly half the greenhouse gases emitted in Santa Barbara County. Sable and Exxon both sued the county supervisors when they deadlocked 2-2 over approving the transfer of Exxon’s title and permits to the new company.