Santa Barbara County Supervisors approved the first step to phase out new onshore oil production and existing facilities on Tuesday.

In a 3-2 decision, the Board directed staff to put together ordinances that would stop new exploration for fossil fuel extraction in the county and phasing out existing oil facilities.

According to a staff report, the ordinance will be divided into two phases. The first will focus on prohibiting new oil and gas wells while the second will phaseout existing oil and gas facilities/operations.

The first phase will focus on preparing an ordinance amendment to prohibit the drilling of new oil and gas wells. Staff estimates that the prohibition on new drilling could be adopted within approximately six months.

The second phase would include an amortization study for existing oil and gas facilities/operations, and additional ordinance amendments to effectuate the Board’s directive. This second phase includes determining a period by which all existing wells and oil and gas facilities/operations in the county would be required to cease operations. Staff propose to begin the second phase after the amortization study is completed and after the Board has approved funding for environmental review for the ordinance amendments, and estimates that the phaseout ordinance could be adopted within three years.

Over 100 community members attended in person or virtually, with more than 50 providing public comment during Tuesday’s meeting ranging from environmental activists to lawyers representing oil companies.

Local nonprofit the Community Environmental Council (CEC) centered comments around the incompatibility of new oil drilling with California’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2045, the high greenhouse gas intensity of local oil, and the growing shift toward electric vehicles, which is reducing oil demand.

“This is one of the most significant policy wins in CEC’s 50+ year history,” said Sigrid Wright, CEC Executive Director. “We’ve been working to phase down fossil fuels in Santa Barbara County for decades, and this vote marks a powerful turning point. It reflects the community’s long-standing commitment to protecting our air, water, and climate — and moves us one step closer to a clean energy future.”

A Los Angeles-based law firm representing Sentinel Peak Resources California, an oil and gas investment firm, submitted a comment with a 250-page report opposing the approval of this ordinance. 

“The recommended actions are not appropriate given California’s energy demands, the potential constitutional violations, and the attempt to circumvent environmental review mandated by California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”),” the letter stated. 

Supervisors Lois Capps, Joan Hartmann, and Roy Lee voted in favor while Steve Lavagnino and Bob Nelson opposed.