Published: Monday, 29 November 2021
Written by Karen Galindo, ASI Senator at-Large
The major oil spill in early October has generated a wave of questions and concerns by California residents. This oil spill has been widely broadcast and showcased all over news channels and social media platforms, where massive amounts of oil have been seen flowing across various California beaches. It occurred on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, due to a failure in a pipeline running from the Port of Long Beach to an offshore oil platform. An estimated 144,000 gallons of oil gushed into the Catalina Channel, which created a layer of oil that spanned over 8,000 acres.
This oil spill has produced a lot of important media attention because it is the largest spill in over three decades. It has reached shores all along Southern California beaches like Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach.
The spill has also heavily impacted marine wildlife and officials are calling it an environmental disaster. Residents of Long Beach have expressed their displeasure as dead birds and fish have been seen along the shores. The marine wildlife that resides by Southern California’s shorelines have been affected and include, but are not limited to sea turtles, coral, oysters and dolphins.
Currently, Long Beach local officials are closely examining this massive oil spill and are working on effective and proactive ways to address this ongoing environmental issue.
“We have many dedicated professionals working around the clock to clean up this spill and ensure the safety of the public and environment,” Captain Rebecca Ore, the commander and captain of the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach said in a statement.
Sustainability is vital to Long Beach’s future, which is why the city has developed a Sustainable City Action Plan. Having an action plan set in place prepares Long Beach for a sustainable approach to address unpredictable environmental problems like oil spills. This action plan includes initiatives, goals and actions that will move Long Beach toward becoming a more sustainable city now and in the future. It was created through a collaboration of city staff and members of the Sustainable City Commission with comments from various Long Beach residents.
The city of Long Beach acknowledges that environmental protection and sustainable development are of great importance. Keep up to date with the Long Beach Office of Sustainability and their Sustainability Strategic Plan for a brighter future at longbeach/sustainability.gov.
