126,000 Gallons of Oil Spill off the California Coast

News

By Tadi Abedje Published: October 4, 2021

126,000 Gallons of Oil Spill off the California Coast

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010 file photo, Dr. Bob MacLean, Audubon Institute senior veterinarian, releases a sea turtle that had previously been impacted by oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, back into the Gulf of Mexico, 45 miles off the coast of Louisiana. Ten years after the nation's biggest offshore oil spill fouled its waters, the Gulf of Mexico sparkles in the sunlight and its fish are safe to eat. But scientists who have spent $500 million dollars from BP researching the impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster have found much to be concerned about. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

In Summary

A pipeline failure off the coast of Huntington Beach has spilled at least 126,000 gallons of oil along Orange County.

Over the weekend, a major disaster off the coast of California has caused damage to the Pacific Ocean. According to the New York Times, a pipeline failure from the coast of Orange County led to at least 126,000 gallons of oil spilled in the Pacific Ocean, producing a 13-square mile slick.

In some areas, dead fish and birds washed ashore as crews rushed to the scene to keep the spill under control as oil flowed from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach.

What caused the leak is unknown as officials say it included a failure in an 18-mile pipeline associated with Elly, which is an offshore oil platform, according to the New York Times.

The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered 14 boats to administer oil recovery operations.

“Three Coast Guard boats enforced a safety zone off 1,000 yards around oil spill boats. Four aircraft were dispatched for overflight assessments. Shoreside response was conducted by 105 government agency personnel. Approximately 3,150 gallons of oil have been recovered from the water and 5,360 feet of boom has been deployed,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

As a result of the enormous spill, the beaches in Huntington Beach were closed, and the third day of the yearly Pacific Airshow was cancelled.

“The oil spill has significantly impacted our community,” Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said in a news conference. “In the coming days and weeks, we challenge the responsible parties to do everything possible to rectify this environmental catastrophe.”