February 2025 E-Letter

Summerland Well Re-Abandonment Starting Late February

Encore SBIFF Screening: "Out of Plain Sight"
Join HTO’s Next Beach Cleanup in Collaboration with Topa Topa
HTO Film Featured in SBIFF
How to Return Lost Lobster Traps

Summerland Well Re-Abandonment
(Well A & Well B)

From February 23 to March 1, the California State Lands Commission and its contracting engineers, 2H Offshore California (formerly InterAct), will re-abandon (re-seal) two leaking oil wells—Well A and Well B—located on the westernmost end of Summerland Beach.

This project is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to permanently stop oil leaks from legacy wells that date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the Summerland Oil Field was largely unregulated.

Although no longer in production, these nearly 100-year-old wells still leak small quantities of oil, threatening marine life and beachgoers. Sealing them is essential for protecting the environment and keeping our coastline clean. Heal the Ocean was instrumental in lobbying for the passage of SB 44 (Hannah-Beth Jackson), which earmarked $14M for the State Lands Commission to cap the leaking wells.

To learn more about coastal hazards and legacy wells in Summerland, California, click here.

Encore Screening: Out of Plain Sight (Feb 15)

Due to public demand at SBIFF, the environmental documentary Out of Plain Sight—co-directed by Los Angeles Times Environmental Reporter/Pulitzer Prize-finalist Rosanna Xia—will have an encore screening in Santa Barbara - at 3 p.m. Saturday, February 15 at SBIFF Film Center, 916 State Street.

Please refer here for ticket purchases. We suggest purchasing the 4 Film MiniPak which allows four people to watch one film, or one person to watch four films.

The film uncovers the shocking discovery of half a million barrels of toxic DDT waste dumped off the California coast and highlights the work of UCSB Professor David Valentine, whose research continues to reveal the extent of this environmental crisis.

Heal the Ocean got to know Rosanna Xia at the height of the 2020 pandemic when she contacted us while researching a Scripps scientist’s work on the possibility of the Covid virus escaping wastewater treatment and getting into the ocean. She went on to write California Against the Sea, a compelling book investigating the negative impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities and how to implement equitable and long term solutions to adjust.

Recently, following the devastating L.A. fires, Xia has been investigating the impact of fire debris on marine ecosystems, with ocean surface conditions affected as far as 100 miles offshore.

Upcoming Beach Cleanup with Topa Topa (2/23)

HTO has partnered with Topa Topa Brewing to release a special edition Heal the Ocean Hazy IPA, with a portion of sales supporting our mission!

Find it at Topa Taprooms or a craft beer spot near you with the Beer Finder.

As part of the collaboration, HTO and Topa Topa are holding a beach cleanup and a film screening:

Beach Cleanup Details

Sunday, February 23 | 10 AM – 11:45 AM
Two Locations:

Ventura Harbor Beach (View map here) – Plenty of parking on Spinnaker Dr.
West Beach, Santa Barbara (View map here) – Free street parking on Cabrillo Blvd.

Supplies Provided: Trash bags, pickers, and reusable gloves.
Special Offer: 21+ Volunteers will receive a Topa Taproom discount after the cleanup.
Community service certificates available for volunteers upon request.

Cigarette Surfboard Film Screening

Friday, February 21 | 7 PM

Topa Topa Brewing Co. – 104 East Thompson Blvd, Ventura, CA

This documentary tells the story of a fully functional surfboard made from 10,000 discarded cigarette butts collected from California beaches!

The screening will include a Q&A session, surfboards on display, and filmmakers in attendance. More details here.

Free Film Screenings at SBIFF

Santa Barbara City College film student Roberta Kuliesiute has created a documentary about Heal the Ocean’s origins and our ongoing work. Roberta’s film has been selected to be a part of the SBIFF Student Film Showcase.

Heal the Ocean Screening:

Saturday, February 15 | 11 AM – 12:30 PM
SBIFF Film Center, 916 State St (Auditorium #1)
Alternatively, watch the film online here.

The classic surf documentary, Bustin’ Down the Door, focuses on how surfers from South Africa and Australia revolutionized the sport with their radical approach. Among the surfers featured is Santa Barbara’s own Shaun Tomson, who is one of the producers of this documentary. Heal the Ocean will be tabling at the event with other Santa Barbara environmental non-profits.

Bustin’ Down the Door Screening:
Friday, February 14, | 2 p.m.
Arlington Theater, 1317 State St.
Come join us – and watch the trailer for the film here.

A Reminder on Returning Lost Lobster Traps

With winter storms hitting Santa Barbara, HTO wants to remind the community about proper protocol for reporting lost lobster traps.

Each season, lobster fishermen are only allowed a limited number of traps, therefore lost traps reduce their catch and become hazardous debris on the beach. Please follow our guide if you come across a lost trap.

From all of us at HTO to all of you, thank you. Please stay safe.