Santa Barbara clean up costs

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Photo above: Refugio State Beach shortly after the spill began. (YouTube)

The Los Angeles Times just reported that officials said the clean up of the pipeline oil spill in Santa Barbara that spoiled the once pristine Refugio State Beach has now cost $60 million dollars. Officials also expect that number to rise, especially when state and federal government bill Plains All American Pipeline for their expenses in the clean up efforts.

The spot where the oil made its way into the ocean (YouTube)
The spot where the oil made its way into the ocean (YouTube)

Meredith Mathews, a spokeswoman for the pipeline company said the cost will peak at $3 million per day.

The company is paying 1,000 people and employing a lot of equipment to clean up the mess that started on May 19 when an extremely corroded pipeline owned by Plains All American Pipeline broke, spilling at least 100,000 gallons of crude oil onto the beaches and into the Pacific Ocean.

In a related story: Santa Barbara County rejected an Exxon Mobil Corp. emergency permit to transport crude oil by trucks through the county. Dianne Black, Planning and Development assistant director, said the situation didn’t need an emergency approval.