MAY 19, 2015
GOLETA, CALIF. (AP)
A broken onshore pipeline spewed oil down a storm drain and
into the Pacific Ocean for several hours before it was shut off, creating a
slick some 4 miles long across a scenic stretch of central California
coastline, officials said.
Initial estimates put the spill at about 21,000 gallons
Tuesday, but that figure would likely change after a Wednesday morning flyover
gave a better sense of the spill's scope, U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman Jennifer
Williams said.
By late Tuesday, a thick layer of crude had begun to wash
ashore, with black tar smearing the rocks as the brackish tides arrived.
"It is horrible," said Brett Connors, 35, a
producer from Santa Monica who said he spotted sea lions swimming in the oil
slick. "You want to jump in there and save them."
The spill was about 20 miles northwest of the pricey seaside
real estate of Santa Barbara, and the Coast Guard said overnight winds were
likely to push it 2 to 4 miles closer.
Authorities responding to reports of a foul smell near
Refugio State Beach around noon found a half-mile slick already formed in the
ocean, Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said. They traced the oil
to the onshore pipeline that spilled into a culvert running under the U.S. 101
freeway and into a storm drain that empties into the ocean.
The pipeline was shut off about three hours later but by
then the slick stretched four miles and 50 yards into the water.
The 24-inch pipeline is owned by Plains All American
Pipeline, which said it shut down the flow of oil and the culvert carrying the
oil to the ocean was blocked. The
pipeline, built in 1991 is designed to carry about 150,000 barrels of oil per
day.
"Plains deeply regrets this release has occurred and is
making every effort to limit its environmental impact," the company said
in a statement.
The Coast Guard, county emergency officials and state parks
officials were cleaning up the spill. Boats from the nonprofit collective Clean
Seas also were providing help but were having trouble because so much of the
oil was so close to the shore, Williams said. About 850 gallons of oil have
been recovered from the water, Williams said.
The accident occurred on the same stretch of coastline as a
1969 3 million gallon spill that at the time was the largest ever in U.S.
waters and is credited for giving rise to the American environmental movement. Several hundred thousand gallons spilled from
a blowout on an oil platform and thousands of sea birds were killed along with
many marine mammals.
The stretch of coastline is home to offshore oil rigs and
small amounts of tar and seepage regularly show up on beaches.
The spill is largest in years and the Santa Barbara-based
Environmental Defense Center said to have it occur in "a sensitive and
treasured environment is devastating to watch." The group expressed
special worry for the many species of whale that migrate through the area.
It was unclear how long the cleanup would take and whether
Refugio and other areas would be reopened in time for Memorial Day weekend.