California sues over federal oil pipeline approval, challenging coastal permitting bypass

California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Trump administration in January 2026 after it approved restarting two Sable Offshore pipelines along the Santa Barbara coast. The lawsuit contests whether federal project authorization can override California's state coastal permitting requirements administered by the California Coastal Commission. The case hinges on whether the federal approval triggers California's consistency review rights under the Coastal Zone Management Act. A federal appellate court is likely to decide the outcome.