California’s AG to investigate oil spill

Noting consequences of the spill, he said, ‘We will follow the facts wherever they lead’

California’s Department of Justice said Monday it was launching an investigation into an oil spill that threatened Southern California wetlands and wildlife, and closed miles of beaches and the region’s busiest leisure port earlier in October.

The agency said it would work with federal and local authorities to determine the cause of the spill and what, if anything, could have been done to prevent or minimize the disaster.

“The oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach is an environmental disaster with far-reaching consequences for our fish and wildlife, for our communities, and for our economy,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “We will follow the facts wherever they lead us,” he added.

The spill, confirmed on Oct. 2, was first reported by residents who noted a petroleum smell in the area before seeing murky black oil create a sheen on the water, later seeing clumps of thick oil coat parts of the shoreline. As much as 120,000 gallons of oil may have leaked into the water, city officials said at the time, leading California Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, to declare a state of emergency in Orange County.

It’s unclear what caused the spill, but officials have eyed the possibility of a ship’s anchor rupturing the pipeline, owned by Houston-based Amplify Energy Corp, which moves crude from its three offshore platforms to an onshore facility.

The investigation comes as Huntington Beach, sometimes known as “Surf City USA,” reopened to swimmers Monday after coastal, ocean and wetlands water-quality testing results showed “non-detectable amounts of oil-associated toxins in our ocean water,” a joint statement from the City of Huntington Beach and California State Parks found.

“The health and safety of our residents and visitors is of the utmost importance,” Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said in a statement. “It is important that our decision to reopen our shoreline and water be based on data and that we continue to monitor the water quality.”