Full Notification

EVENT NAME: Refugio Beach Oil Spill (This report may contain unconfirmed information)

DATE/TIME OF Report: 05/20/15 at 0800 hours

LOCATION: Refugio Beach, Santa Barbara County

IMPACT OF EVENT: MODERATE

SITUATION UPDATE:
• Unified Command:
• Federal On Scene Coordinator - USCG & EPA.
• State on Scene Coordinator - CA State Parks & CA Fish and Wildlife.
• The following State personnel are on scene: A Cal OES Fire Assistant Chief, A Cal OES Southern Region Coordinator, Department of Fish and Wildlife, OSPR Field Response Teams.
• The source of the spill was capped at approximately 1500 hours but a significant amount of oil reached the ocean at Goleta.
• The Refugio Beach campground was evacuated at the recommendation of the county Health Officer, and State Parks has offered other vacant state campgrounds nearby for those evacuated.
• Highway 1 and associated rail lines have been inspected and cleared for normal operations.
• OSPR has ordered a ban on fishing and the taking of shell fish in the spill area.
• Local Animal Rescue and environmental groups such as Clean Seas and the Environmental Defense Center are mobilizing to assist impacted wildlife.
• Initial estimate of cleanup time is 3 days.
• Per Cal OES Southern Region personnel:
• Approximately 4 miles of Refugio Beach was impacted by the spill.
• 20 barrels of oil were retrieved from the ocean and 100 barrels of oil were picked up at the spill site.
• The US Coast Guard is providing security on the water.
• Clean Seas conducted an overflight at 0630 hours.
• Three 65 foot vessels are cleaning oil off of the ocean and 6 vessels are corralling oil in the water.
• Pacific Petroleum is in the process of repairing the ruptured pipeline. ETA to be determined.
• On shore Patriot Services has 73 personnel conducting protective works for the following sensitive sites (in order of priority):
• 1. Bell Canyon
• 2. Tecolote
• 3. Gaviota

SITUATION:
• On 05/19/15 at 1243 hours the California State Warning Center received a report from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department indicating that a ¼ mile sheen was observed off of Refugio State Beach, near Goleta, Santa Barbara County.
• On 05/19/15 at 1510 hours the NRC reported that Plains All American Pipeline advised that crude oil was discovered to be coming out of a transmission pipeline at a Culvert under Highway 1. They estimated the release is greater than 500 barrels. Contractors responded to scene and the action line was shut in.
• The California State Warning Center conducted all appropriate notifications, including but not limited to local government agencies.

This report will be updated as information becomes available.