Press Release

Heal the Ocean Received $500,000 in State Funds by Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Hart

Senator Limón presenting state funding alongside Assemblymember Hart to Heal the Ocean

(SANTA BARBARA) - Senator Monique Limón, alongside Assemblymember Hart, presented $500,000 to support Heal the Ocean’s Summerland Oil Mitigation Study (SOMS) to ensure we have accurate and consistent mapping of oil seeps & leaks along the central coast. While this important work began this summer, this marks the first State Budget funding this project will receive. 

“I am pleased to present Heal the Ocean with a $500,000 state funding investment to support their work on the Summerland oil project,” said Senator Limón. “Oil seeps and leaks continue to present problems to the safety and wellbeing of our community. This project will provide our state with insight on ways to protect our environment and communities from the impacts of the fossil fuel industry.” 

“I am proud to join Senator Limón in supporting Heal the Ocean’s work to further investigate and address pollution from abandoned oil wells along the Summerland coast,” said Assemblymember Hart. “This stretch of coastline was the birthplace of offshore oil drilling more than 100 years ago, and today, it will be a model for clean-up and restoration.”

The SOMS Study aims to investigate potential oil seeps and leaks that are taking place beneath the sand. This study will also help the state determine the best approach to the re-abandonment of legacy wells. As California continues to move away from the use of fossil fuels, studies like this can be critical in ensuring the capping of oil wells is done in the most environmentally sound way possible. 

“Thanks to Senator Monique Limón for accessing funds from the State of California,” said Harry Rabin, Program Director of Heal the Ocean. “This collaborative study, along with crucial guidance from State Lands, will assist with future well abandonment planning and implementing the best solutions as we move forward to tackle a difficult and persistent problem with Summerland’s nearshore wells.”

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Monique Limón represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Santa Barbara, Ventura, Goleta, Buellton, Carpinteria, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Solvang, Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai, Oxnard, Santa Paula, and Port Hueneme. She currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and as Chair of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee.

Contact: Christina.Montoya@sen.ca.gov