The slick is unrelated to last year’s spillage when the anchor of a cargo ship ruptured an underwater pipeline.

On Oct. 1, 2021 a commercial ship reported a possible oil spill near a flotilla of boats moored off Huntington Beach. Four days later, it had become clear that a ship’s anchor had caught a section of Amplify Energy Corp’s eighteen mile long oil pipeline, rupturing the line and bowing a 4,000 foot section, dragging it 105 ft from its original position.

Cargo ships enroute to the Long Beach port, frequently sail above the oil line and are given coordinates to safely anchor while waiting to unload. The anchors of these large cargo vessels can weigh up to ten tons. Satellite images show as many as seven ships traversed the area around the time of the accident.

The rupture allowed 25,000 gallons of crude oil to spill into the ocean and spread into the Talbert Channel. Crude washed onto beaches, restricting fishing for months and affecting marine birds and animals in the area.

Now one year later, on Oct.7, an oil sheen once again appeared in the Talbert Channel. This time the source is believed to be from an abandoned pipeline. Crews working on a flood-control upgrade, first noticed and reported a light sheen in the water. The clean-up began with booms being used to contain the minor slick. No marine was seen to be affected.

A key permit for the underwater repairs of the Amplify line was issued on Sept. 30 2022, almost a year from the date of the anchor accident. Repairs would restore the transport of crude from the Ellie Platform to containers in Long Beach. The restoration could reduce some of the stress of California’s energy demands.

Southern California beaches like Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, and Newport Beach will benefit greatly from the project, protecting residents from floods, with areas being widened and restored for beachgoers and tourists to enjoy.

Local leaders gathered at the Newport Beach Balboa Pier on Aug. 16, to celebrate the progress made on the Surfside-Sunset and Newport Beach Sand Replenishment Project.

U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, (R-CA), made a successful direct funding request to the U.S. House of Representatives to include the funding in the Energy and Water Development and Related Agency Funding Bill for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2022).

The narrowed beaches along Orange County’s coast, in part due to erosion, created vulnerabilities which rendered the beaches susceptible to flooding and storm damage.

The $15.5 million secured by Rep. Steel will kickstart the project which is expected to cost $23 million, with the balance of the budget coming from local agencies.

Steel noted that the erosion is a large issue for public safety, which has been ignored for many decades.

“I made a promise to bring sand funding to our district,” Steel said. “We were one natural disaster from devastation.”

The project is about 95% complete pending final environmental approvals. The funding will enable the Army Corp of Engineers, headed by Julie Bolten, to dredge sand 2 miles off the Sunset Beach shoreline, bringing much needed sand to the affected areas.

“And so it really is being able to listen, being able to be transparent but being also able to be excited about this project and what it’s gonna do,” Bolten said.

Re-sanding is expected to begin at the end of 2024, and will take years to replenish impacted areas. Sand deployment will be timed so as to not affect the Grunion run.

Beach erosion of Orange County’s coast can be traced back to a series of federal government projects of the 1940’s, initiated to service new military bases through the construction of jetties and breakwaters and the widening of Anaheim Bay.

The course teaches children how to be safe around the ocean’s hazards.

Huntington Beach’s Junior Lifeguard program will have students ages 9-17 graduating tomorrow, after they spent the summer learning about ocean safety.

The program, which runs from June to August, teaches over 1,200 students about swimming safely in the ocean and exposes “them to an environment that will teach them courtesy, respect, discipline, sound morals, and good sportsmanship.” Children get to spend time with a lifeguard and also learn about rip tides, waves, sportsmanship, and lifeguard operations, according to the city. 

The world-renowned safety course has been taught since 1964, and includes many other activities such as a three mile run, swimming activities such as a pier swim, and public safety from the Huntington Beach Fire and Police departments. 

This year, children also learned about CPR, a first for the program, with the intention that the junior lifeguards will go home and teach their family members.

Wrapping up their last week, the junior lifeguards are set to grad