This week our community continued cleanup and response efforts to the oil spill that happened almost two weeks ago. Some positive news – beaches in Orange County have started reopening this week.
My team and I are closely monitoring this situation and will continue to share updates with our community as we receive them. For the latest news and updates, you can connect with my officialFacebook, Twitter, andInstagrampages.
Thanking Teams Helping our Wildlife
This week I had the opportunity to stop by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center to say thank you for all the work they are doing to help our wildlife following last week’s oil spill. Thank you to their team and all those working to support our coastal wildlife!
Surveying Response Efforts
On Sunday, I joined OC Sheriff Barnes for an aerial tour of the response efforts to clean our beautiful beaches. There is still work to be done but it is looking better each day.
Clearing our Coastal Waters
Recent reporting shows that an anchor or chain of a vessel may have caused the oil spill that has devastated the Orange County coast. Residents have noticed for months the cargo ships idling off our coast due to supply chain issues. These cargo ships should be coming into port, unloading, and leaving. That’s why I introduced the SHIP Act, which would ban these vessels from idling or anchoring off of our Orange County coast. These idling ships are an environmental and public health crisis, and we need to get them moving. I was pleased to see the Port of Los Angeles will begin operating at 24 hours a day and applaud efforts to get these ships moving quickly through our coastal waters.
Demanding Accuracy in Nautical Mapping
This week I requested the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) immediately re-examine and survey the nautical charts near all the pipelines linked to offshore oil platforms off the coast of Orange County. We need assurance these maps are accurate to prevent another disaster off our coast. Read more.
Celebrating Local Businesses
This week I joined the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and local leaders for the reopening of the historic Hotel Laguna – one of our beautiful coastal landmarks!
Upcoming Deadlines: Service Academy & App Challenge
Do you know a high school student who is interested in attending a U.S. Service Academy? My office is accepting applications until November 1, 2021. If you have questions about the application process, click here or call my Huntington Beach Office at 714.960.6483.
The deadline for the Congressional App Challenge is also a few weeks away! This is a great opportunity for middle and high school students to explore opportunities in STEM. Winning students are invited to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington, D.C. Visit my website for more information on the competition.
Oil Spill Resources
I’ve set up a page on my website with oil spill resources. Here is a list of some of the resources available for residents:
Health-related questions – Orange County Health Care Agency: (714) 834-2000
Investigators examine role of unprecedented port gridlock in O.C. oil spill
With the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach facing unprecedented gridlock, investigators are trying to determine what role the congested shipping lanes played in the massive oil spill that has fouled the Orange County coast since early this month. Read more.
Biden: Port of LA to Stay Open 24/7 to Relieve Cargo Bottleneck
The Port of Los Angeles will begin operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday as part of a push from the White House to clear supply chain disruptions threatening the holiday shopping season and slowing the nation’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Read more.
California environmentalists, lawmakers and regulators have taken note, because - while these vessels are outside of the port - anchored ships do have an additional impact on overall emissions from maritime activity. Read more.
Exclusive — Rep. Michelle Steel: Joe Biden Ignored My Request for Declaration of Emergency over California Oil Spill
Steel linked Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) — state legislation in California reclassifying independent contractors as employees — to what she said was “driver shortage” contributing to “supply chain bottlenecks” related to shipping and storage on California’s coastline. Read more.
