Organization Receives $500,000 to Continue Work on Oil Seepage Research

In a momentous occasion on Tuesday, November 28, Heal the Ocean (HTO) was presented with a check for $500,000 from Senator Monique Limón representing California Senate District 19 and Assemblymember Gregg Hart representing the 37th California Assembly District, to support HTO’s Summerland Oil Mitigation Study (SOMS). 

The study was proposed and started by Heal the Ocean’s Project Lead and Researcher Harry Rabin working with Ira Leifer, Principal of Bubbleology Research International, earlier this year. 

The funding is said to ensure the accurate and consistent mapping of over 100 oil seeps and leaks along the Central Coast, starting with the focus in the Summerland Beach area. The study using high-tech imaging and digital mapping is the first of its kind in the state of California and will set the template for other legacy well projects and remedial work along the entire coast, and perhaps in other global areas with similar issues. 

The presentation and speeches were held at Lookout Point Summerland Beach, on Tuesday morning. Limón talked about the history of the Summerland oil drilling from over 100 years ago and now the over 200 oil well abandonment, saying: 

“We in the legislature support the need to remedy and correct the environmental, health, and community impact of this issue. We created CalGEM which now thoroughly reviews each permit application for adherence to health and safety rules, environmental rules before granting oil drilling permits. We want to ensure that orphan wells are not poorly abandoned. This has been a collective effort across many lines. We recognize the importance and need of cleaning up what has been left here for decades. We knew that the $2 million would be the start, and that the work needs to be continued. With Hart, we secured a half million dollars in funding that work. Specifically, with this new technology our ability to create the data that is so precise to get to these leaky wells is an investment from the State to clean up and to heal the ocean.” 

With that,she acknowledged Hannah-Beth Jackson, HTO, Hart, Mayor Randy Rowse, and the ocean cleanup volunteers. 

Standing by Limón, Hart, Rabin, and Leifer was Hannah-Beth Jackson,former California State Senator, who initiated the concerns about the legacy wells and requests for funding with the 2017 Senate Bill 44, the Legacy Well Re-Abandonment, a program providing funding for the work at $2 million a year, soon to run its course. The work began in 2018 with the successful re-abandonment of Becker well #1 at Summerland Beach. Jackson shared in my interview before the presentation: 

“We certainly have to give credit to HTO for their persistence, digging in there to do everything we can to clean up the ocean, and to Senator Limón who has picked up the mantel and doing wonderful work to protect our environment along with Assemblymember Gregg Hart. They realize how important this is for our community and to our environment.”

Hart stated: “The geologic study that we are funding today aims to transform our approach to plug and re-abandon legacy oil infrastructure. With the help of Bubbleology Research International, we will be able to comprehensively map the ocean floor, pinpointing areas with the highest frequency of oil seeps and leaks and will allow State Lands to prioritize wells that cause the most disturbance, facilitating a more effective approach in curing oil contamination along our coastline.” 

Accepting the thanks for their work and for the funding, with humbled hearts on behalf of HTO, was Hillary Hauser, executive director of Heal the Ocean, who added, “Thank you to Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Gregg Hart, to Nora, State Lands who never gave up on us, and to Harry and Ira doing the work, we are so grateful to do this work.”

Highlights from Rabin’s speech included, “Santa Barbara has been an environmental leader here and around the world. This project will set a template for other coastal areas with similar issues and is groundbreaking work that will go into the future.” 

He was followed by Leifer and the California State Lands Commission’s Sheri Pemberton, who said, “State Lands will not stop until every hole in the ocean is plugged.” 

Recognized at the ceremony and present were the key early funders of the oil cleanup, Program Manager of the Manitou Fund Nora McNeely Hurley and her husband, Michael. 

Also present were California State Lands Commission Engineer Walter Scott, Summerland Beautiful President D’Arcy Cornwall and member Penny Mathison, HTO board members, local business owners, and Summerland residents.

When the check was presented, all attendees were asked to join in the photo op and give a big cheer for being a part of the effort.  

Watch the videos of the event on the MJ website and MJ YouTube Channel.

411: www.healtheocean.org