Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Photos Of The Devastating Santa Barbara Oil Spill Along The Coast

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today . 

A massive cleanup is underway after a ruptured pipeline spewed an estimated 21,000 gallons of oil along Refugio State Beach in the the Santa Barbara County Coast.

As of last night, the oil spill was reported to have spread 4 miles west of the Refugio State Beach toward El Capitan State Beach, according to the L.A. Times. ABC 7 says there are fears that the wind and surf could lengthen that stretch to 2 to 4 more miles. Coast Guard crews, with the help of emergency officials and state park officials are working on cleaning up the spill. So far, about 850 barrels of crude oil have been removed from the waters.

The oil came from a 24-inch underground pipeline belonging to Houston-based Plains All-American Pipeline that runs from Las Flores to Gaviota. It was first reported by a woman walking along the state beach on Tuesday around noon when she smelled the pungent oil fumes. Coast Guard crews were able to stop the leak in the pipeline by 3 p.m., but the spill had already done its damage.

Photos of the devastating oil spill shows the ocean waters covered in an oil slick. Although there haven't been any reports of affected wildlife, photos are surfacing of marine life, including fish and octopus, dead and covered in oil. Noozhawk photographer, Lara Cooper, snapped this heartbreaking photo of a bird affected by the spill:

Support for LAist comes from

Brett Connors, a 35-year-old producer from Santa Monica, told the Times that he saw sea lions swimming in the oil-laden waters. "It is horrible," he said. "You want to jump in there and save them."

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney announced today that they would be investigating the spill to review "potentially relevant criminal and civil statutes," CBS Los Angeles reports.

Plains All-American Pipeline issued a statement yesterday: "Plains deeply regrets this release has occurred and is making every effort to limit its environmental impact. Our focus remains on ensuring the safety of all involved. No injuries have been reported at this time."

Refugio State Beach is about 20 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara. It's a popular beach that is a hotspot for camping. PCN reported that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have a home located adjacent to the oil spill.

There was another oil spill back in 1969 along the same area caused by Union Oil (which later became Unocal), the Times reports. The massive spill spewed out an estimated 3 million gallons of oil, spreading to 35 miles along the coast, killing marine life and birds.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist