Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Orange County, CA -- A major oil spill off the Orange County coast has reportedly spilled at least 126,000 gallons of oil into coastal waters and local wetlands. The spill is believed to be coming from a broken pipeline connected to an offshore oil platform about five miles off the coast. Oil has been flowing since last night, and has begun washing up onshore and seeping into the Talbert Marsh.
In response, Monica Embrey, Senior Associate Director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign, released the following statement:
"How many of these oil disasters do we have to witness before our elected leaders understand that there is no safe way to drill or transport dirty fossil fuels? This spill is yet another reminder that we can have healthy and safe communities, thriving coastal economies, and a stable climate -- or we can continue drilling for oil. We can’t have both. It’s long past time to choose a transition away from dirty oil drilling and toward a healthier, safer, clean energy future.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.