An oiled bird found at the mouth of Strawberry Creek in Berkeley. See more photos on our Flickr Set

On November 7, 2007, 58,000 gallons of bunker oil spilled into San Francisco Bay. While state, federal and local agencies initiated official spill response procedures, thousands of volunteers raced against time to protect the shoreline. 

Despite those efforts, oil hit beaches and shorelines in Marin County, San Francisco, San Mateo County and the East Bay shoreline from San Leandro to Richmond. Most beaches have been cleaned and reopened, and oiled bird sightings have ceased. But the incident has raised urgent questions:

• Have the cleanups to date been sufficient? 
• What happens to the areas where oil remains? 
• What are the long-term impacts on Bay wildlife and habitats? 
• How will the responsible parties compensate for the wildlife and habitat affected? 
• How should spill response be improved around the Bay? 
• How can such an incident be prevented in the future?

SAVE THE BAY'S SPILL RESPONSE WORK

Save The Bay has worked to provide the public with timely information about the oil spill. Our staff and volunteers are documenting spill impacts to assist government wildlife agencies in quantifying the extent of damage to the Bay.

		KRON 4 on Save The Bay's Reaction to the Oil Spill

		Listen to a report         on the oil spill on Your Wetlands

Save The Bay will continue to focus on strengthening the health of the Bay by restoring wetlands so wildlife has increased habitat for greater survival during such emergencies.

Healthy wetlands are critical because they filter pollution to actually help clean the waters of the Bay. Over the upcoming months, volunteers will help us move closer to our goal of restoring 100,000 acres of Bay wetlands by planting native seedlings along the Bay shoreline.

 

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

To determine the extent of damage to Bay Area habitats, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, State Lands Commission, and National Park Service are conducting Natural Resource Damage Assessments. Teams of scientists and wildlife experts have been assessing impacts to sandy beaches, rocky intertidal and other shoreline habitats, eelgrass and oyster beds, and other subtidal habitats. These assessments will inform cleanup actions and recovery plans.

Save The Bay is helping NOAA assess damage to eelgrass, using baseline data gathered by our eelgrass monitoring projects in partnership with San Francisco State University and through site assessments conducted the week of the spill.

Two public meetings were held in January by state and federal agencies to address restoration of natural resources injured by the spill. Agency representatives described their progress to date in documenting impacts, and the multi-year process ahead to implement restoration projects designed to compensate for those impacts.

Potential restoration projects will vary widely, though they must meet guidelines to ensure that the project addresses impacts as closely as possible. For example, the restoration project selected for a previous oil spill impacting migrating birds was habitat restoration at those birds’ nesting sites, many thousands of miles away from the spill site. Restoration plans for the Cosco Busan spill will take several years to put together, and public input will be a key part of the process.

HOW YOU CAN HELP THE BAY RECOVER 

Volunteer to restore Bay habitat

• Volunteers are needed to restore the Bay – now more than ever! Building healthy wetland areas all around the Bay creates habitat for wildlife displaced by oil pollution. Planting native plants and removing non-native weeds and trash turns urbanized areas into thriving habitat for Bay wildlife. Sign up to lend a hand at one of seven Save The Bay restoration sites at www.savesfbay.org/bayevents.Employee groups are especially encouraged to come out to programs during the week: contact Jocelyn Gretz, jgretz@saveSFbay.org or 510-452-9261 x109, for more information.
  
  

Minimize your impacts during this sensitive time

• There are a few areas where oil is still present and cleanup is ongoing. Walkers, joggers, and dog owners:
  be mindful of wildlife in these areas to avoid unintended harm to wildlife.
  
• If you see oiled birds or wildlife, call 415-701-2311. Do not approach oiled animals. Avoid contact with oil, and never throw oil blobs away in regular trash.