California governor proclaims state of emergency due to massive oil spill

LOS ANGELES - California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday night proclaimed a state of emergency in Southern California's Orange County to support the emergency response to the massive oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach.

"The state is moving to cut red tape and mobilize all available resources to protect public health and the environment," said Newsom in a statement.

"As California continues to lead the nation in phasing out fossil fuels and combating the climate crisis, this incident serves as a reminder of the enormous cost fossil fuels have on our communities and the environment," he noted.

According to the governor's proclamation, thousands of barrels of crude oil were released from a pipeline into the Pacific Ocean approximately five miles (about 8 km) off the coast of Huntington Beach in Orange County in federal waters.

The United States Coast Guard initiated an emergency response effort to locate, confine and attempt to remove the oil from the water. The oil release has impacted and continues to threaten the environment and marine life in the area.

Newsom noted that he has directed state agencies to undertake an immediate and aggressive action to clean up and mitigate the effects of the oil spill.

Officials said the spill, first reported on Saturday morning, could have poured as much as 144,000 gallons (around 545,099 liters) of oil into the ocean.