Dear Sen. McGuire and Governor Brown,

In light of the recent oil spill catastrophe in Santa Barbara, I urge you to please pass SB 788 to ensure an environmental disaster of this magnitude never happens again to our precious, vital coast and ocean waters.

While the oil spill at Refugio State Beach was the result of a ruptured onshore pipeline, it’s no great leap to imagine the even more dire consequences of a spill from an offshore pipeline. The world is watching as images of oiled wildlife and once-pristine coastline spread across the internet, harming not only protected species and habitat, but damaging California’s reputation as an environmental leader.

Santa Barbara, 1969.
Alaska, 1989.
Gulf of Mexico, 2010.

And Santa Barbara, again, 2015.

We need only look at our recent past to conclude that our toxic addiction to oil must end. Passing SB 788 is a means to this end.

Thank you so much for your advocacy and support of this issue thus far. I look forward to standing with you in protecting California’s ocean.