Large oil spill washes up in California, killing wildlife

A large oil spill off the southern California coast has resulted in dead fish, oil-smeared birds and contaminated wetlands in what has been dubbed an environmental disaster by local authorities.

The US Coast Guard, which is leading the cleanup work with federal, state and city authorities, announced on Sunday that it would investigate around the clock into how the oil spill could have come about.

An estimated 126,000 gallons, or 3,000 barrels, had spread to an oil spill covering about 13 square miles of the Pacific Ocean since it was first reported on Saturday morning, Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said at a news conference.

She described the oil spill as an "environmental disaster" and a "potential ecological disaster". The beach town, about 40 miles south of Los Angeles, was hit hardest by the oil spill.

Carr added, "Our wetlands are being degraded and parts of our shoreline are now covered in oil."

The oil spill was caused by a leak connected to the Elly oil rig and stretching from Huntington Beach Pier down to Newport Beach, an area popular with surfers and sunbathers.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife ordered a fishing ban for the coastal areas affected by the oil spill.

The lockdown extends for the coastal areas from Huntington Beach to Dana Point and for the offshore areas up to six miles offshore, the agency said late Sunday.

Carr said the rig is operated by Beta Offshore, a California subsidiary of Houston-based Amplify Energy (NYSE: AMPY) Corporation. Calls to Beta and Amplify went unanswered.

Carr added in her remarks: "In the coming days and weeks we urge those responsible to do everything possible to remedy this environmental disaster."

Martyn Willsher, CEO of Amplify Energy, told a press conference in Long Beach that the pipeline had been cordoned off and the remaining oil siphoned off. He said divers were still trying to find out where and why the oil leaked.

CLEAN UP

Republican US MP Michelle Steel, who represents part of the affected area, has written to Democratic President Joe Biden requesting a disaster declaration for Orange County, freeing up federal funds to aid the cleanup.

Steel later told CNN, "This is a really serious disaster".

Cottie Petrie-Norris, a Democratic MP who represents some of the areas affected by the oil spill, said she was "very concerned" about the extent of the damage to the environment, communities and the local economy.

She told CNN the oil spill was a "call to action that we must stop drilling off our precious California coast".

Oil production off the California coast has declined sharply since its peak in the 1990s, in part due to the state's stringent environmental regulations. Democratic governor Gavin Newsom said he would end oil drilling in that state by 2045.

Offshore drilling in that state was restricted following a devastating oil spill off Santa Barbara in 1969 that left 80,000 barrels of oil in the ocean. Another oil spill off Santa Barbara in 2015 brought up to 2,400 barrels to the coast and the Pacific.

The marine protection organization Oceana also called for an end to offshore oil and gas drilling.

Jacqueline Savitz, Oceana's chief policy officer, said in a statement: "This is just the latest oil industry tragedy. The time has come to prevent future oil spills by permanently protecting our coasts from offshore drilling."

The oil spill occurred in federal waters. It was officially stated that federal, state and city authorities, led by the US Coast Guard, were involved in the measures.

On Sunday, Orange County regulator Katrina Foley said the oil had entered Talbert Marsh, a large ecological reserve, and caused "significant damage".

The beaches have been closed to bathing and a local air show has been canceled, although there was no stopping some people from setting up chairs on the beach to enjoy a sunny Sunday or strolling along the pier.

Carr said authorities had put up 625 meters (2,050 feet) of protective barriers that will help contain and slow down the flow of oil.

The US Coast Guard, working with local and state agencies, used planes and boats to survey the oil spill and hired contractors to clean up. According to the Coast Guard, about 3,150 gallons of oil were recovered from the water.

The officials said they were investigating the cause of the oil spill and the type of oil.