The disaster near Santa Barbara, the site of a 1969 oil spill that sparked the modern environmental movement, comes amid a push to open the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf to oil and gas drilling. It underscores the risk presented by coastal energy development coupled with weak regulation.
Image:
Oil sullies the California coast near Santa Barbara following a pipeline break earlier this week. Could a similar scene be playing out soon on a beach near you? (U.S. Coast Guard photo.)
Image Caption:
<p>Oil sullies the California coast near Santa Barbara following a pipeline break earlier this week. Could a similar scene be playing out soon on a beach near you? (U.S. Coast Guard photo.)</p>