Resident Margaret Berczynski on an oil spill at a Chevron refinery across the bay from San Francisco, putting three nearby communities under a Public Health Advisory.

“I’m really devastated. I cannot take my kids to the water … I’m really scared.” FacebookTwitterShare

Officials say close to 600 gallons of oil spilled into a wharf off Point Richmond Tuesday afternoon, closing beaches until further notice.

• The spill lasted over 90 minutes, with about five gallons per minute leaking from the pipeline, according to California’s Office of Emergency Services; the cause of the leak appears to be an underground pipe.
• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife say there have been no reports of animals harmed.
• Why This Matters: Oil spills have plagued California for decades, including one in 1969 that leaked millions of gallons of crude into the ocean off the coast of Santa Barbara.

Cleanup, Investigation of Oil Spill in San Francisco Bay Underway