Becker Well Capping - Summerland (2018)

On Monday, February 26, 2018, a big ocean barge from Long Beach pulled up to Summerland, California, and oil workers began offloading massive oil construction equipment to the shore at the west end of Summerland beach. The infamous Becker Onshore Well, which had been leaking onto the beach and into the ocean ever since it was improperly abandoned during Summerland’s wildcatting years of the early 1900s was finally being capped.

Becker Timeline

HTO’s postcard campaign for Governor’s approval of Becker Well funding

HTO’s postcard campaign for Governor’s approval of Becker Well funding

  • Summerland citizens rabble-rouser about the problem when the well starts leaking oil more than usual in 2014;

  • HTO learns the State Lands Commission (SLC) has no budget to cap Becker, and contracts with Dudek to apply for a $1.5 million grant to cap the well;

  • HTO attends SLC hearing in Orange County, August 2015, to announce we will find the funds;

  • SLC officials come to the HTO office in Santa Barbara to collaborate on the grant applications. Unfortunately, we can’t find the $200K for CEQA, and the application is not submitted;

  • Then Assemblyman Das Williams successfully introduces $750K for Becker project into State budget FY 2016/2017;

  • We wanted to flood the Governor’s desk with pleas for his approval of Becker funds, so we went on a massive letter-writing campaign to Governor Jerry Brown. There was much art and cutting and gluing and stamping – and in the end, 250 of these colorful cards landed on the Governor’s desk.

  • With other groups, HTO goes on a massive letter-writing campaign to Governor Jerry Brown, and the Governor approves the funding;

  • At the end of 2016, however, SLC officials tell an audience in Carpinteria it doesn’t have the other half ($750K) needed to get the job done. HTO responds by telling SLC we will sell lemonade, do anything to find the funds;

  • January 2017, SLC introduces needed funds into State budget for FY 2017/2018;

  • By this time, Summerland residents/ ocean lovers Michael & Nora McNeely Hurley have joined the fight, and Nora goes to the beach almost every day to photograph Becker Well leaking onto the beach – and sends photos and video to the State Lands Commission;

  • With all necessary funds for capping so very close to being in hand, HTO goes on Rabid Letter Writing Campaign to get very unique cards on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk, asking him to approve the $750K in the State budget.

  • The Governor says YES!