Huntington Beach, CA — Efforts to contain the biggest oil spill in recent memory are underway in Huntington Beach after an offshore drilling platform sent at least 126,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean. Coastlines have been closed and crews are still working to identify the full extent of the damage to local ecosystems.

Food & Water Watch’s California Director Alexandra Nagy released this statement in response to the oil spill: 

“We didn’t need further proof of the devastation wreaked by fossil fuels on our environment, but here it is. The 126,000 gallons of crude oil leaching onto the shores of Huntington Beach directly threatens nearby communities, wildlife and ecosystems. It is past time for a just transition away from dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure, whether on land or at sea. The hard truth is that fossil fuels breed bigger disasters as our climate warms. The Huntington Beach oil spill is the worst in recent memory. It will likely not be the last. Governor Newsom must end all new permitting for fossil fuel drilling right now to protect Californians from worse disasters to come.”

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Contact: Jessica Gable, (202) 683-2478, [email protected]