A diesel fuel spill in Huntington Harbor was discovered late on Wednesday night after it had reached the size of a football field. People near the marina smelled a strong odor of fuel and noticed the sheen around 4pm on Wednesday, but the slick wasn't reported to the Huntington Beach Fire Department until around 11pm last night. more ›

Come and listen to a story about a man named Hen(derson). A councilman and chairman of some Nature Preserve land. Then when the budget wasn't looking very good. He remembered under Whittier was a bubblin crude. Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea. Neighborhood groups put their hands up in the air. Environmentalists said... more ›

If the next few days involve fueling up and hitting the road, whether it's a long weekend getaway or a drive to Pasadena to see the Rose Parade, you'll be feeling a budgetary hit we haven't felt in SoCal since 2008. "Southern California gas prices are at their highest December levels of all time - and higher than at any point since October 2008 - after continuing to rise all week," according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. more ›

Who knew the waters that lap the shores of Long Beach were such a hot bed of headline-generating eco-focused news? 2010 was a banner year for environmental issues at the national and state level, and the Long Beach Gazettes.com takes a look back at the year at their beach. more ›

It may be election day, but the Los Angeles City Council has their work cut out for them as this week is the last to approve items for the March 8th, 2011 ballot. That's the municipal election where half of the City Council is up for grabs along with a number of measures. A couple ballot items are already approved -- like pension reform -- but at this morning's meeting, several more will be considered. more ›

With the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year -- even 16 miles of oil coming ashore in Louisiana this past weekend -- a closer and more critical eye is being kept on the industry across the country. Northwest of Los Angeles are 20 oil drilling platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel, which over the past six years have seen more than 1,200 government inspections. more ›

Surprise, surprise. Cash-strapped California is the only of the 22 major oil states that do not tax companies for taking the black gold out of the ground. Now with the BP oil spill in the Gulf and Prop 23 at the public forefront, Democrats this Summer have crafted two budget proposals that put an oil production tax in the picture. more ›

A large group of people gathered at Santa Monica Beach today to take a stance against the oil industry. First a movement last February against offshore drilling in Florida, Hands Across the Sand became international today -- thanks to heightened awareness after the Gulf oil spill -- with some 650 events today. Many of those took place in California, including Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu and Long Beach. more ›

Across California beaches tomorrow, groups of people are expected to gather in a peaceful demonstration against oil drilling. "This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry," explains the Hands Across Sand website, which lists some 650 worldwide locations where events will be found. more ›

The damage done by the Gulf oil spill is horrendous, claiming the unfortunate top spot as the worst environmental disaster in American history. Although land spills have very different effects on the surrounding area, ChartBin, via California Watch, reminds us that the largest recorded oil spill actually took place in California in Kern County, L.A. County's northern neighbor. In March of 1909, a well head that blew out, begetting the Lakeview Gusher, and spewed 1,227,600 tonnes of oil over 18 months (yes, it took that long to stop). To compare, the Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 released 14,000 tonnes into the ocean. Today, numerous agencies regulate oil drilling in California. Also: If the BP Oil Spill was Centered in L.A., It Would Look Like This. more ›

During a rare Northern California appearance on Monday, the increasingly bizarre and camera-whorish Sarah Palin opened her mouth, with self-consciously controversial results. It all happened at a media-banned logging conference in Redding, a town of 90,000 north of Sacramento, the former VP candidate "called studies supporting global climate change a 'bunch of snake oil science,'" reported Associated Press, who forked over $74 to attend the spectacle. more ›

It's often hidden from our eyes, but the Los Angeles area is the third largest oil field in the country. You can find hidden oil rigs at The Farmers Market, the Beverly Center and other well known spots. And for such a lucrative business, no taxes are levied upon them, despite years of budget belt tightening across the state. more ›

The ever-so progressive and eco-friendly city of Santa Monica is at it again, this time with sewer clogging fats, oil and grease (FOG), which now can be collected for a new future as biofuel. In parking structures 2 through 6, restaurants can jettison their FOG for free, the city announced today. more ›

Despite the fact that the state Assembly rejected a proposal allowing new offshore drilling in the budget vote a few weeks ago, the issues is back. Or, as Dan Jacobson of Environment California puts it, "the coast won and the oil companies lost... Or so it would seem." more ›

Finally, the budget has passed both houses--the Senate early this morning and the Assembly this afternoon--and Governor Arnold Scwharzenegger says he plans to sign it next week. However, the LA Times hints that Schwarzenegger may do some line item vetoing and a $1.1 billion deficit still remains to be solved. more ›

Last year this time, gas was a daily news story as it climbed to its all time high on June 21st at $4.626. However, in these recession times, gas prices are not, thankfully, news breaking items. Gas has risen 19-cents in the last two weeks, now at the price of $2.743 per gallon of regular. more ›

The Colorado River is the water (and power) source for millions of people; it provides power to 3 million homes, waters 15% of our agriculture in the West, and gives one in 12 people something to drink. That is why many are concerned about its sustainability and longevity as a provider. In fact, many do not know this, but one environmental group, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has listed it as the “most endangered” waterway. more ›

Today gas hit the average price of $1.784 per gallon of regular which has Californians paying lower average gas prices than people in twelve other states, according to Jeffrey Spring at the Auto Club. "It's an unusual situation for this state to have prices within a dime of the national average, but it is a welcome bit of relief for Californians who have been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn." That national average sits at $1.683 today. more ›

This will never get old. Today marks the 79th day that gas prices have consecutively dropped. The current average price of a regular gallon of gas is $1.912. Statewide, it's a penny cheaper and about 12-cents cheaper nationally. So why is this happening? We asked Marie Montegomery over at the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA): "We had price levels that were probably unsustainable earlier this year. They were based on not the laws of supply and demand, but where investors perceived where their money would be safest. They were buying up commodities like oil and gasoline futures and prices skyrocketed. Then when all this economic turbulence occurred in September, the bubble burst and everything spiraled down." Boy, did it ever. more ›

Yes, the average price of a gallon or regular gas is now less than two bucks at $1.987 in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area. Statewide, it's $1.96 with San Francisco leading the state' highest prices at $2.073, according to AAA. more ›

Around the nation, some cities are finding their gas prices to be lower than $2. For Los Angeles, that's not the reality, at least yet. Today, the average price of a regular gallon of gas in Los Angeles is $2.574, 27-cents lower than a week ago Monday and 15.6-cents lower than last Thursday. As usual, you may know about cheaper than the average gas in the area. If so, chime in the comments section. more ›

The price of gas in Los Angeles continues to drop as today's local average for a gallon of regular comes out to $2.730, more than 11-cents from Monday's reported average of $2.846. A week ago today, Los Angeles gas was $3.019, nearly 29-cents higher. Of course, you may have spotted cheaper gas in the city. If so, let us know in the comments! more ›

The average gallon or regular gas in the Los Angeles area today is $2.846 meaning gas has dropped around 16-cents since last Thursday and 29-cents since last week Monday. more ›

Eight days ago a regular gallon of gas cost was $3.25. This past Monday, October 27 it was $3:137. Today, October 30: $3.019. Enjoy it while it lasts. more ›

In five days, gas prices have dropped more than 10-cents. On October 22 a regular gallon of gas was $3.25, 20-cents less than a week prior to then. Today, the price for the Los Angeles area averages out to $3.137. In fact, some stations, near and far, are changing out that 3 for a 2: "We've never seen local gas prices come down this fast in such a short period," Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring said last Friday. "Gas stations in Buena Park, Chula Vista, Visalia and a few other local cities are the first to post sub-$3 gas prices, and we could see many more over the next week if this decline continues." more ›

Last Thursday for a regular gallon of gas in Los Angeles: $3.45. Today: $3.25. But will this trend continue downward? Not so fast, says Jeff Siegel at Treehugger: "The fact is, a weakening economy has created fertile ground for falling gas prices. And this is not likely to ease up in the short-term. However, folks shouldn't get too comfortable. Because while economic downturns and recessionary times don't last forever – depleted fossil fuels do. And that's why these lower gas prices represent nothing more than a blip." more ›

"Southland gas prices plummeted by more than a penny a day over the past month," AAA of Southern California reported today, adding this observation: "Despite the sizable drop in recent months, however, prices are at about the same level in most areas as the 2007 record high prices." The current price of a regular gallon of gas in Los Angeles is $3.454. more ›

If you're paying more than that, then just know that this is the average in the Los Angeles area, according to AAA. The last time we were at this price point, it was three months ago at the end of May. more ›

The average price of gas in Los Angeles is now down to $4.160, which is pretty flush with the state's average ($4.159). Mark Lacter at LA Biz Observed is starting to see gas prices hit below $4.00 in some places. But Steve Hymon at Bottleneck Blog found that the gas station he watches, a Chevron in Pasadena, on a daily basis is still pretty high ($4.31) compared to the average and surrounding stations. more ›

Over the past month, the average price of gas has taken a steady decline of about 40-cents per gallon, making the Los Angeles region's average price for regular unleaded cost $4:22, according to AAA. more ›