A man tries to save a oil soaked pelican.
The Spill
The oil spill began with a broken pipe on land but has spilled into the ocean and onto beaches, dumping more than 100,000 gallons of crude in Southern California. An estimated 21,000 gallons of crude had gone into the Pacific Ocean and the rest was spilled on land.
Plains All American Pipeline
Plains All American, the owner of the pipeline, has a shameful history when it comes to oil spills. They have had 175 safety and maintenance infractions since 2006. Between 2004 and 2007 they have discharged hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil from pipelines and have payed millions of dollars in fines for violating the Clean Water Act.
The Damage
Wildlife is not taking this well. Brown pelicans in the area have been killed, and dead, oil-sodden lobsters, octopus, and other marine animals have washed up on shore. 5 pelicans and one infant sea otter were taken for rescue. The death toll may seem low as of now, however the effects on marine life could take years to come to fruition.
Cleanup
California mobilized crews from multiple state agencies to tackle the spill, including the Coast Guard, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Management, have been removing buckets of oily sludge from the beach, coastal areas, and water.
Photos: CNN
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