What’s being called one of the largest settlements in state history for the restoration of damaged natural resources has been reached in connection with the 2015 Santa Barbara County oil spill.
The pipeline rupture in May of 2015 took place on the Gaviota coastline at Refugio State Beach, and led to a crude oil spill in excess of 120,000 gallons. More than 50,000 gallons reached the ocean, polluting beaches and impacting coastal and marine life.
A plan developed by a coalition of federal and state agencies calls for the pipeline company, Plains All-American pipeline, to fund $22 million dollars in restoration projects.
$11.6 million would be used for work on shoreline and subtidal habitats. $2.3 million would be spent on expanding facilities to help injured marine mammals, and $2.2 million would go to improvement of bird habitats.
And, the remaining $3.9 million would be used for projects to improve parks in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles Counties.
An interactive webinar will be held in May for the public to provide comments on the plan.
