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Officials release birds after they were treated for oiling and have now recovered from the Huntington Beach, Calif., shore on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. The spill washed blobs of oil ashore affecting wildlife and the local economy, though the environmental damage so far has been less than initially feared. But environmental advocates say the long-term impact on sensitive wetland areas and marine life is unknown and shop owners in surf-friendly Huntington Beach fear concern about oil will keep tourists away even once the tar is gone. (AP Photo/Amy Taxin)
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The Coast Guard received multiple reports of a possible fuel spill off the Southern California coast earlier than previously disclosed and asked local authorities to investigate about 15 hours before its own personnel confirmed a large oil slick, which came from a leaking undersea pipeline, records show.
The initial reports of a possible spill north of the Huntington Beach pier came into the Coast Guard about 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, according to an Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s memo provided Wednesday to The Associated Press. The documents said there were multiple similar calls over a marine radio emergency channel from boats leaving the Huntington Beach air show.
The department, which runs the county’s harbor patrol, sent a fireboat to search for the spill, but the crew lost visibility as darkness fell, according to the memo obtained through the California Public Records Act. The spill wasn’t confirmed until about 9 a.m. Saturday.
The Coast Guard did not immediately comment on the documents, which raise more questions about the agency’s response to a spill that forced the closure of some of the region’s signature beaches and harmed animal and plant life.
Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, who chairs a state legislative committee looking into the spill, said she was told the spill was reported much later Friday evening when it was too late to detect because of darkness.
“It seems too crazy in a world where we’re trying to send a man to Mars that we can’t inspect a potential oil slick in the dark,” she said.
Miyoko Sakashita, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said the Coast Guard should have responded more aggressively after getting the initial reports.
“An investigation should have immediately taken place, and it could have significantly reduced the size of the spill,” said Sakashita, whose organization has called on the federal government to stop offshore oil drilling. “Among all those reports, you should be able to triangulate that there’s something that needs investigation immediately.”
Prior to release of the sheriff’s department documents it was thought that the first word of a possible spill came to the Coast Guard at 6:13 p.m. on Oct. 1 from a foreign ship anchored off Huntington Beach that reported a sheen on the water that was more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) long.
Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer previously told the AP that the Coast Guard put out a radio broadcast to vessels in the area and oil platforms looking for reports confirming a possible spill. But Capt Rebecca Ore, the unified response commander, said no such broadcasts were made.
Coast Guard officials said they needed to look into what — if anything — was done at the time, but have repeatedly declined to answer questions about the purported broadcast.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The Coast Guard received multiple reports of a possible fuel spill off the Southern California coast earlier than previously disclosed and asked local authorities to investigate about 15 hours before its own personnel confirmed a large oil slick, which came from a leaking undersea pipeline, records show.
The initial reports of a possible spill north of the Huntington Beach pier came into the Coast Guard about 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, according to an Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s memo provided Wednesday to The Associated Press. The documents said there were multiple similar calls over a marine radio emergency channel from boats leaving the Huntington Beach air show.
The department, which runs the county’s harbor patrol, sent a fireboat to search for the spill, but the crew lost visibility as darkness fell, according to the memo obtained through the California Public Records Act. The spill wasn’t confirmed until about 9 a.m. Saturday.
The Coast Guard did not immediately comment on the documents, which raise more questions about the agency’s response to a spill that forced the closure of some of the region’s signature beaches and harmed animal and plant life.
Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, who chairs a state legislative committee looking into the spill, said she was told the spill was reported much later Friday evening when it was too late to detect because of darkness.
“It seems too crazy in a world where we’re trying to send a man to Mars that we can’t inspect a potential oil slick in the dark,” she said.
Miyoko Sakashita, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said the Coast Guard should have responded more aggressively after getting the initial reports.
“An investigation should have immediately taken place, and it could have significantly reduced the size of the spill,” said Sakashita, whose organization has called on the federal government to stop offshore oil drilling. “Among all those reports, you should be able to triangulate that there’s something that needs investigation immediately.”
Prior to release of the sheriff’s department documents it was thought that the first word of a possible spill came to the Coast Guard at 6:13 p.m. on Oct. 1 from a foreign ship anchored off Huntington Beach that reported a sheen on the water that was more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) long.
Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer previously told the AP that the Coast Guard put out a radio broadcast to vessels in the area and oil platforms looking for reports confirming a possible spill. But Capt Rebecca Ore, the unified response commander, said no such broadcasts were made.
Coast Guard officials said they needed to look into what — if anything — was done at the time, but have repeatedly declined to answer questions about the purported broadcast.
In this Oct. 7, 2021, file photo, workers in protective suits clean the contaminated beach in Corona Del Mar after an oil spill in Newport Beach, Calif. A group of environmental organizations is demanding the Biden administration suspend and cancel oil and gas leases in federal waters off the California coast after a recent crude oil spill. The Center for Biological Diversity and about three dozen organizations sent a petition Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, to the Department of the Interior, arguing it has the authority to end these leases. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)
Penoyer said the Coast Guard did not send a boat out to look for the spill because it was limited by darkness and didn’t have the technology to detect it. The report by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, however, says the Coast Guard did request that the Harbor Patrol dispatch a boat.
The next morning, the Coast Guard reached out again to the Harbor Patrol, and its hazardous materials investigators went out on a county fireboat. Authorities on that boat located a miles-long black plume several miles offshore, the memo said.
Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said it’s not clear that earlier notice would have made a difference.
“Hindsight is 20-20,” she said. But Carr added that had she known about the 5:30 p.m. report, it would have elevated the first notice she got of a possible spill at around 9 a.m. the next morning.
Federal investigators are examining whether the Panama-registered MSC DANIT, a 1,200-foot (366-meter) container ship, was dragging anchor during a Jan. 25 storm and snagged the pipeline and dragged it on the seabed. It’s not known why the leak occurred eight months later. Authorities are looking into whether other anchors hit and weakened the pipeline or if a preexisting condition with the line was to blame.
Houston-based Amplify Energy owns and operates the pipeline that ferries oil from the company’s three offshore platforms. It is being scrutinized for its maintenance of the pipe and whether it reacted fast enough to the spill.
The Coast Guard says about 25,000 gallons (94,635 liters) of oil spilled off Orange County. Blobs of oil and tar balls washed ashore, forcing a weeklong closure of beaches that greatly disrupted the local economy and killing dozens of birds. Environmental advocates say the damage was less than initially feared but the long-term impact on wetlands and marine life is unknown.
Pete Stauffer, environmental director for Surfrider Foundation, which is working as a liaison between non-governmental agencies and the unified command for the spill response, said a swift response to a spill is key to limiting damage.
“When there’s a report of a significant-sized oil slick on the ocean, it’s important to investigate,” Stauffer said. “What happens in the first hours and days during an oil spill is absolutely critical.”
Nearly three weeks since the spill, officials are starting to wind down some of the clean-up efforts as conditions along the coastline have improved. While tar balls continue to wash up farther south in San Diego County, beach clean up in some areas of Orange County could soon be deemed complete, California Fish and Wildlife Lt. Christian Corbo said Wednesday.
Workers are also scaling back efforts to scour the coastline for oiled wildlife, but they will continue to respond to reports from the public of oiled birds, said Dr. Michael Ziccardi, director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. Six birds that were treated for oiling were released Wednesday along the shoreline and another six are still being cared for, he said, adding they will hopefully be released next week.
A group of environmental organizations Wednesday demanded that the Biden administration suspend and cancel oil and gas leases in federal waters off the California coast. The Center for Biological Diversity and about three dozen organizations sent a petition to the Department of the Interior, arguing it has the authority to end these leases and that the decades-old platforms off the coast of California are especially susceptible to problems because of their age.
The Department of the Interior declined to comment on the petition.
____
Melley reported from Los Angeles.
California lawmaker accepted donations from oil firm linked to spill in her district
By Hannah Schoenbaum, Medill News Service
CA LIF (R) Rep. Michelle Steel has accepted thousands of campaign dollars from oil and gas companies, records show. Photo courtesy of the Michelle Steel for Congress campaign
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) has carefully monitored efforts to salvage Southern California's wetlands after a major offshore oil spill, but the lawmaker's record shows she accepted thousands of campaign dollars from oil and gas companies and voted against disaster relief funding for other cities.
A breached undersea pipe, apparently connected to the Elly oil rig, spilled an estimated 25,000 gallons of crude oil off the coast of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach on Oct. 2, covering 13 square miles of the Pacific Ocean.
Steel represents many of the communities impacted by the spill, and has been pushing for federal, state and local assistance to clean up the mess.
But less than a week before the spill, Steel voted against a government funding bill that provided $28.6 billion in disaster relief funds for communities devastated by Hurricane Ida.
She also accepted $37,041 from oil and gas companies during her 2020 campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data. Among those donors was Phillips 66, the largest customer of the Houston-based oil company Amplify Energy, which owns the Elly oil rig.
Neither Steel's District 48 congressional office nor her campaign office in Surfside responded to multiple interview requests.
A sign warns swimmers not to go into the water at Newport Beach after a major spill dumped oil from an offshore platform off Huntington Beach, Calif., on October 4. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Cleanup workers attempt to contain oil that seeped into Talbert Marsh, home to some 90 bird species, after an oil spill from an offshore oil platform near Huntington Beach, Calif., on October 4. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Drilling ban sought
The oil spill drew lawmakers' attention to a provision of President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act, which would ban future offshore drilling projects in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Many of Steel's Republican colleagues have remained united in opposing the bill, unwilling to hand Biden a substantial first-term victory.
Facing pressure from her constituents and colleagues, Steel has not stated her position on the bill. In Washington last Tuesday, she did not respond to reporters' questions about whether she would support an offshore drilling ban. Instead, she shifted attention to her efforts to clean up the coastline.
"Cleaning our beaches -- that's the priority," Steel said.
As she gears up to run for re-election in 2022, the freshman lawmaker has continued to accept money from donors in the energy industry, bringing her career total from 2019 through July 31 to $49,712 from oil and gas companies.
Steel, who represents communities affected by the spill, asked Biden to issue a major disaster declaration to free up federal funds for the district. And since members of Congress cannot formally request a disaster declaration, she also wrote to Gov. Gavin Newsom, encouraging him to join her in asking Biden for federal funding.
Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County last week, but has not requested a federal disaster declaration.
Reimbursement sought
Steel did send a letter to Amplify Energy CEO Martyn Willsher on Oct. 8, demanding that his company cover the response costs of the federal government and cooperate with the U.S. Coast Guard on continuing cleanup efforts.
"Trust has been broken and accountability is required," she wrote.
And after federal investigators said Oct. 8 they were "convinced" that a ship anchor snagged the pipeline, the Republican lawmaker introduced legislation that would ban cargo ships from anchoring off the coast of Southern California for 180 days.
Investigators now believe the anchor of a 1,200-foot cargo ship dragged the 16-inch steel pipe an unknown distance across the ocean floor, several months before the leak was detected.
Steel has faced widespread criticism on social media since the spill, particularly after screen captures of the Energy and Environment page of her website, which featured an image of an oil rig, began to make the rounds. The image since has been replaced.
Connor Chung, an intern on Steel's 2020 campaign, and others in the community have shown up to pitch in with cleanup efforts. The Corona del Mar High School senior said he has been disappointed by what he views as the lawmaker's lack of concrete action on environmental issues.
"Steel has done little to nothing yet to affect the spill," Chung said. "I don't have a solidified answer on if I will support her reelection, but I'm definitely watching how she will take action on the oil spill."
Opponent attacks
Democrat Harley Rouda, who Steel narrowly defeated in 2020, is capitalizing on his rival's hesitancy to take a stance on offshore drilling. Rouda held a press conference last Tuesday with environmental advocates outside Steel's Huntington Beach office, demanding that his opponent cut ties with the oil industry.
The Southern California district flipped in the last two election cycles, with Steel beating Rouda by fewer than 9,000 votes in 2020.
Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy at the non-partisan government watchdog organization Common Cause, said lawmakers in such competitive districts face heightened scrutiny from party members and donors to hold on to their seat.
"When the balance of power hangs on a handful of seats, you will see resources shifted and prioritized for those particular members in swing districts," Spaulding said.
"A candidate can face a number of pressures, but ultimately, it is up to the candidate to run the campaign pursuant to their vision and their values."
By Hannah Schoenbaum, Medill News Service
CA LIF (R) Rep. Michelle Steel has accepted thousands of campaign dollars from oil and gas companies, records show. Photo courtesy of the Michelle Steel for Congress campaign
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) has carefully monitored efforts to salvage Southern California's wetlands after a major offshore oil spill, but the lawmaker's record shows she accepted thousands of campaign dollars from oil and gas companies and voted against disaster relief funding for other cities.
A breached undersea pipe, apparently connected to the Elly oil rig, spilled an estimated 25,000 gallons of crude oil off the coast of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach on Oct. 2, covering 13 square miles of the Pacific Ocean.
Steel represents many of the communities impacted by the spill, and has been pushing for federal, state and local assistance to clean up the mess.
But less than a week before the spill, Steel voted against a government funding bill that provided $28.6 billion in disaster relief funds for communities devastated by Hurricane Ida.
She also accepted $37,041 from oil and gas companies during her 2020 campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data. Among those donors was Phillips 66, the largest customer of the Houston-based oil company Amplify Energy, which owns the Elly oil rig.
Neither Steel's District 48 congressional office nor her campaign office in Surfside responded to multiple interview requests.
A sign warns swimmers not to go into the water at Newport Beach after a major spill dumped oil from an offshore platform off Huntington Beach, Calif., on October 4. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Cleanup workers attempt to contain oil that seeped into Talbert Marsh, home to some 90 bird species, after an oil spill from an offshore oil platform near Huntington Beach, Calif., on October 4. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Drilling ban sought
The oil spill drew lawmakers' attention to a provision of President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act, which would ban future offshore drilling projects in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Many of Steel's Republican colleagues have remained united in opposing the bill, unwilling to hand Biden a substantial first-term victory.
Facing pressure from her constituents and colleagues, Steel has not stated her position on the bill. In Washington last Tuesday, she did not respond to reporters' questions about whether she would support an offshore drilling ban. Instead, she shifted attention to her efforts to clean up the coastline.
"Cleaning our beaches -- that's the priority," Steel said.
As she gears up to run for re-election in 2022, the freshman lawmaker has continued to accept money from donors in the energy industry, bringing her career total from 2019 through July 31 to $49,712 from oil and gas companies.
Steel, who represents communities affected by the spill, asked Biden to issue a major disaster declaration to free up federal funds for the district. And since members of Congress cannot formally request a disaster declaration, she also wrote to Gov. Gavin Newsom, encouraging him to join her in asking Biden for federal funding.
Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County last week, but has not requested a federal disaster declaration.
Reimbursement sought
Steel did send a letter to Amplify Energy CEO Martyn Willsher on Oct. 8, demanding that his company cover the response costs of the federal government and cooperate with the U.S. Coast Guard on continuing cleanup efforts.
"Trust has been broken and accountability is required," she wrote.
And after federal investigators said Oct. 8 they were "convinced" that a ship anchor snagged the pipeline, the Republican lawmaker introduced legislation that would ban cargo ships from anchoring off the coast of Southern California for 180 days.
Investigators now believe the anchor of a 1,200-foot cargo ship dragged the 16-inch steel pipe an unknown distance across the ocean floor, several months before the leak was detected.
Steel has faced widespread criticism on social media since the spill, particularly after screen captures of the Energy and Environment page of her website, which featured an image of an oil rig, began to make the rounds. The image since has been replaced.
Connor Chung, an intern on Steel's 2020 campaign, and others in the community have shown up to pitch in with cleanup efforts. The Corona del Mar High School senior said he has been disappointed by what he views as the lawmaker's lack of concrete action on environmental issues.
"Steel has done little to nothing yet to affect the spill," Chung said. "I don't have a solidified answer on if I will support her reelection, but I'm definitely watching how she will take action on the oil spill."
Opponent attacks
Democrat Harley Rouda, who Steel narrowly defeated in 2020, is capitalizing on his rival's hesitancy to take a stance on offshore drilling. Rouda held a press conference last Tuesday with environmental advocates outside Steel's Huntington Beach office, demanding that his opponent cut ties with the oil industry.
The Southern California district flipped in the last two election cycles, with Steel beating Rouda by fewer than 9,000 votes in 2020.
Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy at the non-partisan government watchdog organization Common Cause, said lawmakers in such competitive districts face heightened scrutiny from party members and donors to hold on to their seat.
"When the balance of power hangs on a handful of seats, you will see resources shifted and prioritized for those particular members in swing districts," Spaulding said.
"A candidate can face a number of pressures, but ultimately, it is up to the candidate to run the campaign pursuant to their vision and their values."
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