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Refugio State Beach Oil Spill Near Santa Barbara, California

On May 19, 2015, NOAA was notified of a 24-inch pipeline rupture that occurred earlier in the day near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County, California. Of the approximately 100,000 gallons of crude oil released, a reported 21,000 gallons flowed into the Pacific Ocean. NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration has been providing overflight observation of the spill, information on fate and effects of the crude oil, potential environmental impacts both in the water and on the shore, and observational and data management support for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment. The spill closed down multiple beaches and fisheries and caused harm to birds, marine mammals, fish, and marine invertebrates. NOAA and our state and federal partners are investigating these impacts.