Last Saturday there was a huge oil spill from the Elly oil platform off the coast of California. It is estimated that about 128,000 gallons of oil were leaked and on Sunday morning this oil began to show up on the shores of Huntington Beach. Even Huntington Beach residents expressed their concerns by stopping by the beach despite it being closed.
Some residents say that there was oil all along the shore and even globs of oil were coming up from the water. The oil has even reached Talbert Marsh which is an ecological reserve that spans 25 acres. This ecological reserve is home to many species of birds that are quite rare here in California and experts believe that this could cause tremendous damage to these bird species.
The slick spread across 8,320 acres but officials say that the oil pipes are not leaking anymore. Workers are trying to stop the spread of this oil into sensitive areas by placing floating barriers called booms.
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center stated that they will be taking in any seals or sea lions that may need their help and larger mammals like whales and dolphins will be taken to SeaWorld San Diego for their bigger tanks. Experts also say that they won’t see the full effects of the oil slick until a few days after and it is expected that there will be a negative impact on the nearby ecosystem.
A representative from Orange County has written a letter to President Joe Biden asking for federal assistance and declaring this a major disaster. Orange County Supervisor, Katrina Foley, says that this operation of containing the oil will be a 24/7 operation in order to try to preserve as much of the natural environment as possible.