California oil spill
A ruptured pipeline along the scenic California coastline leaked more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil, with at least 21,000 gallons dumped into the ocean, creating a nine mile slick before it could be secured, Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in response to the environmental disaster.
A bird covered in oil spreads its wings as it sits on a rock near Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 22, 2015.
The pipeline, owned by Plains All American Pipeline, was shut off about three hours after the spill, but by then the slick stretched nine miles into the water.
California Oil Spill
William McConnaughey, 56, (L) who drove from San Diego to volunteer, carries buckets of oil from an oil slick along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
According to the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration, a federal agency, Plains All American Pipeline, responsible for this oil spill, is one of the worst offenders for safety and maintenance infractions.
California Oil Spill
A volunteer's hand is covered in the leaked crude oil at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Buckets of oil cleaned off the beach from an oil slick along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
More than 9,000 gallons of oil has been raked, skimmed and vacuumed from a spill that stretched across 9 miles of California coast
Santa Barbara Oil Spill
Staff and volunteers work to clean oil off a brown pelican at the International Bird Rescue center in San Pedro, Los Angeles, May 22, 2015.
California Oil Spill
An oil slick is seen along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 19, 2015.
SeaWorld San Diego rescue
SeaWorld San Diego is helping to clean and care for and oil-affected sea lion pup after the oil spill Tuesday May 19, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Oil surrounds the feet of local resident Morgan Miller as he patrols the beach for oiled wildlife north of Goleta, California, May 19, 2015.
California Oil Spill
An oil slick is visible on the surface of the Pacific Ocean near Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
The spill stretched across nine miles of the coast.
California Oil Spill
A shrimp covered in oil is seen along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Large patches of crude oil can be seen at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A bird covered in oil at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A volunteer holds an octopus covered in oil along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the company accumulated 175 safety and maintenance infractions since 2006, according to federal records.
California Oil Spill
Buckets of oil volunteers collected from an oil slick are lined up along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
The spill is largest in years and the Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center said to have it occur in "a sensitive and treasured environment is devastating to watch."
California Oil Spill
Whales along the surface of the Pacific ocean near a sheen of oil north of Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Workers clean up an oil slick along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Oil flows toward the ocean from an inland oil spill near Refugio State Beach north of Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
California mussels and a crab are covered in oil at Refugio State Beach, north of Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Spilled oil covers the sand at Refugio State Beach north of Goleta, California, May 19, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Oil-covered rocks can be seen along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A dead lobster and sea anemone are seen in an oil-filled tide pool near Refugio State Beach north of Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
The largest oil spill ever in U.S. waters at the time occurred in the same section of the coast where numerous offshore oil platforms can be seen, giving birth to the modern American environmental movement.
California Oil Spill
An oil slick is seen off the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 19, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Blobs of oil can be seen along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A pelican covered in oil flies over an oil slick along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A large oil patch is visible at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A lobster covered in oil is seen along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
The leak has killed an unknown number of lobsters. Six oil-soaked pelicans and one young sea lion are being rehabilitated so far.
California Oil Spill
Workers prepare an oil containment boom at Refugio State Beach, north of Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A fish covered in oil is seen along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Spilled oil covers the sand at Refugio State Beach, with the Channel Islands in the distance north of Goleta, California, May 19, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A sea lion swims in oil-contaminated water near Refugio State Beach on the Californian coast in Goleta, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Workers clean the beach at Refufio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
California brown pelicans fly over the oil-contaminated ocean near Refugio State Beach north of Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Boats skim an oil slick on the surface of the Pacific Ocean near Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 21, 2015.
California Oil Spill
A man watches an oil slick wash up on a beach along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 19, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Spilled crude oil covers the shoreline of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 20, 2015.
California Oil Spill
Volunteers fill buckets with crude oil near Refugio State Beach after an oil spill north of Goleta, California, May 20, 2015. A broken onshore pipeline spewed oil down a storm drain and into the ocean Tuesday.