It’s a big milestone for a Tri-Counties community. The last two oil piers on its beaches have finally been removed.
Starting in the late 1920’s, more than a dozen piers were built in Goleta’s Haskell’s Beach area for oil drilling. Over the decades, all but two of the piers were removed.
The piers, PRC 421-1 and 421-2, ended up in the hands of Venoco. When that company filed for bankruptcy, the State Lands Commission by default ended up with the piers. A study showed they were deteriorating, and created physical and environmental dangers.
After a removal plan was developed, and environmental permits granted, work started last August. It’s just been completed, with no signs left of the piers at the beach.
State Lands Commission officials say they were the last two remaining oil piers in California.
