On May 19, 2015, a pipeline owned and operated by Plains All America Pipeline, Inc. ruptured near Refugio State Beach sending oil into the ocean. In response, state and federal natural resource trustee agencies are conducting a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) to assess exposure to spilled oil and the injuries to the environment and its public uses. The NRDA process identifies how to restore and compensate for the harm, and the damages that should be paid by the responsible party to fund restoration projects. A newsletter was released by the trustee agencies. Download the newsletter here.

The Refugio Beach Oil Spill trustee agencies will host a public meeting on Wednesday, January 20, 7:00-8:30 p.m., at the Santa Barbara Public Library, Faulkner Gallery (40 E. Anapamu St). The purpose of this meeting is to answer questions about the oil spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process, provide preliminary results of the assessment studies, and to seek suggestions for restoration projects that will compensate for the injuries caused by the spill. The public is encouraged to attend this important meeting.