Originally Published on the ECOreport

By Roy L Hales

July 12, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - El Capitan beach reopened two days ago. A news team visiting the site of California’s worst oil spill in 25 years reported no obvious signs of the catastrophe. There was a sea lion sporting in the ocean and birds on the shore. The park superintendent told them “You may still see the occasional tar ball or two, which isn't uncommon for the natural seeps here on the south coast." The reporter claimed the beach was better looking than ever. So how damaging was the Santa Barbara spill?