Authorities think they know the source of a spill last month that sent an estimated 700 gallons of crude oil into a Huntington Beach flood control-channel that drains to wetlands and the ocean.
Wardens executed a search warrant Friday on Angus Petroleum, an oil exploration and production facility, to determine if it was the source of the spill, the state Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response said Monday.
Chemists with the agency would analyze the oil from the spill to determine if it matches oil at the facility.
If Angus is identified as the source, it could be charged with illegal discharge, failure to report the spill and other violations, as well as be held responsible for cleanup costs.
On Jan. 21, residents near the flood-control channel reported smelling oil. The next day, authorities discovered the oil sloshing onto the wall of the channel and launched a containment and cleanup response. The oil traveled 1.8 miles downstream, but Environmental Protection Agency officials said they were able to contain it before it reached the Talbert wetlands or the ocean.
Wardens were led to the Angus facility after finding evidence that the oil traveled to the channel through a nearby storm drain.
Angus Petroleum could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon, but authorities said the company was cooperating with the investigation.
The EPA has issued an order that calls for the company to fix its connection to the city’s storm drain system to prevent future spills.
Wildlife crews have collected 30 dead birds and one dead raccoon from the spill area, but it was unclear if they all died from the oil. Six live, oiled birds have been taken to a care facility for treatment.
–Tony Barboza in Orange County