Six Months After Oil Spilled Into California Tributary, Families Worry the Cleanup Was Never Finished

Six Months After Oil Spilled Into California Tributary, Families Worry the Cleanup Was Never Finished

People in Ventura County are also concerned that an early estimate—which noted that about 420 gallons of crude oil was accidentally released into a waterway last fall—is inaccurate. Local and federal officials are investigating.By Steven RodasSANTA PAULA, Calif.—As he slowly pulled his beige van into the driveway following a trip to the hardware store for garden supplies, Ethan Higbee didn’t suspect anything was wrong.

California Families Still Concerned About Oil Spill Cleanup Six Months After Crude Contaminated Local Waterway

When Ethan Higbee pulled into his Santa Paula driveway after a routine trip to the hardware store, the overwhelming smell of gasoline immediately told him something was terribly wrong. What he initially thought was the sound of rushing water turned out to be something far more alarming—crude oil gushing into a local tributary. Six months have passed since approximately 420 gallons of crude oil accidentally spilled into the Ventura County waterwa…