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U.S. EPA encourages the public to report oil spill sightings or smells in Santa Barbara County: To report oil sighting please dial 911 or the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802

Release Date: 01/26/2008
Contact Information: Lisa Fasano 415-760-5421

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Santa Barbara County Fire Department and California Department of Fish and Game are asking for the public's help reporting potential oil spills in Santa Barbara County during this rainy period.

If the public sees oil on their property or in waterways please report it to 911 or the National Response Center's oil spill response hot line at 1-800-424-8802. Additionally if the public smells hydrogen sulfide or a rotten egg smell they should report it to 911.

Greka Energy has been cleaning up oil from a spill that occurred January, 5. The recent heavy rains have impacted areas where cleanup was occurring and have washed oil and oily water outside containment berms.

The U.S. EPA, California Fish and Game Office of Spill Prevention Response, Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the Coast Guard Strike team are continuing to inspect the area around Greka's central California facilities to identify any oil spills that might have occurred due to the rains.

Recent spill sites are at the Ucal lease on Dominion Road, the Bell lease on Palmer Road, the Davis lease on Zaca Station Road, and the Bradley 3 Island facility on Telephone Road. Greka Energy, the responsible party, is continuing to work with their contractor on clean-up efforts in the affected area to prevent further harm to the environment.

The National Response Center is the federal government's national communications center, which is staffed 24 hours a day by U.S. Coast Guard officers and marine science technicians. NRC staff notify the designated on-scene coordinator assigned to the incident and collect available information on the size and nature of the release.

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