History in Action: Phasing Out Oil in Santa Barbara County

This week, Santa Barbara chose courage over complacency. Our county Supervisors took a bold leap forward, fueled by the support of a majority of county residents, to ban new oil and drilling operations in Santa Barbara County and initiate a plan to phase out existing oil operations. This vote wasn’t just a policy move; it was an act grounded in science, fiscal responsibility, and moral clarity.

For decades, our community has paid the steep price of fossil fuel dependence. In fact, according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Santa Barbara County ranks #1 in California and #2 nationally for wildfire risk with a very high-risk index score of 99.52. Home insurance rates are skyrocketing and increasingly hard to obtain.

In just the past five years, oil companies extracted $512 million in profits from Santa Barbara County. Meanwhile, our community has borne billions in climate-related costs and tragedies. This imbalance is neither sustainable nor just. 

As we know too well, the Thomas Fire and subsequent Montecito debris flow caused more than $2.2 billion in damages and claimed 23 lives. The 2015 Refugio Oil Spill cost more than $330 million, not including the lasting harm to our coast and economy. Most recently, the storms of 2023 inflicted over $150 million in public infrastructure damages. These are not isolated events. They are the consequence of a climate crisis we help perpetuate when we continue to invest in fossil fuels.

A groundbreaking report authored by Olivia Quinn, Eleanor Thomas, Carrie Fernandes, Dr. Leah Stokes, and Dr. Paasha Mahdavi from UC Santa Barbara drives home the urgency. The report estimates that phasing out oil and gas operations could save roughly $100 million in mortality-related and climate damages over the next two decades. A bold transition plan isn’t just environmentally responsible – it’s a wise investment in our health, economy,
and resilience.

Public health: A strong phaseout policy could save our region $54 to $81 million in mortality-related costs. Behind those figures are real people – lives saved, hospitalizations avoided, families kept whole.

Economic responsibility: Critics argue that oil is economically vital. But the data tells a different story: oil and gas contribute just 0.2% to the County’s budget and employ only 0.0023% of our workforce. That’s not economic strength – it’s an
outdated perception.

Climate protection: The climate crisis is no longer theoretical. We see it in rising seas, record heat, and increasingly destructive storms. According to the report, a swift phaseout could save $21.8 million in climate-related damages alone – resources that could be redirected into clean energy, green jobs, and community resilience.

This vote to ban new oil projects and start a phaseout process wasn’t just a policy decision – it was a reckoning with the real costs of inaction and a bold vision for a cleaner, safer, and more equitable future. The science is clear. The economics are clear. The moral imperative is clear. The climate crisis demands courage, and this decision shows what’s possible when we lead with vision and resolve. As my colleague and partner on this work, Supervisor Joan Hartmann, said, “morally, as a human being,” she needed to act.

None of this progress would have been possible without the tireless advocacy of environmental organizations like the Community Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Center, CFROG, SBCAN, and so many more who have fought for decades to protect our coastline, our health, and our future. Their leadership, alongside the voices of thousands of residents and the Board majority, made history this week.