Southern California Oil Spill A Potential Ecological Disaster

California officials continued efforts Sunday to limit the damage of a major oil spill off the coast of Orange County, California. The spill, which was reported early Saturday, is roughly five miles from the coast, and extends between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach and could close beaches for months.

Orange County Rep. Michelle Steel on Sunday sent an official letter to President Joe Biden requesting for the county to be declared a major disaster.

“We classify this as a major spill, and it is a high priority to us to mitigate any environmental concerns,” said Jennifer Carey, a Huntington Beach city spokesperson. “It’s all hands on deck.”

The spill started off the coast of Newport Beach from an offshore oil platform called Elly. A pipe broke that poured 126,000 gallons of crude oil into the water, according to officials.

The nearby beaches and marshes are under a huge threat of being significantly disturbed by the effects of the spill. This includes Huntington Beach's diverse ecosystem which is the home to many birds that are considered rare for the West Coast. Officials said that dead fish and birds have already begun to float ashore.

“It is imperative that the federal government assist in recovery efforts,” Steel wrote in the letter to Biden. “I have serious concerns about the environmental impacts of the spill and applaud the workers who are doing their best to prevent the oil from hitting sensitive wetlands.”

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said that when she went to visit the beaches on Sunday morning there were softball-sized clumps of oil washed up onto the beach.

“It’s not safe. Even as we’re standing here, I can smell the fumes. The fumes are actually toxic and not safe to breathe,” Foley said.

“If you swim or surf in the water that’s not good for your health — it could cause long-term complications.”

Workers were able to shut down the pipeline, but the oil continues to spread. Pressurized equipment has been used to retrieve as much oil as possible, along with the use of floating barriers known as “booms” which are used to stop the spread.