California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that the state's Justice Department is investigating the massive oil spill off Orange County's Huntington Beach coastline.
Why it matters: It's "an environmental disaster with far-reaching consequences for our fish and wildlife, for our communities, and for our economy," Bonita said in a statement.
- The spill leaked up to 131,000 gallons of crude oil into the waters off the coast of Southern California, killing wildlife, contaminating beaches and threatening coastal wetlands.
What to watch: Bonta told reporters his office has yet to determine whether to take civil or criminal action, per the Los Angeles Times.
- The U.S. Coast Guard and Orange County district attorney's office are conducting criminal investigations into the spill, which authorities have confirmed happened due to a ship's anchor moving the "pipeline 105 feet months ago — maybe even a year ago," according to O.C. Supervisor Katrina Foley.
Of note: Coastal areas including Huntington and Newport beaches reopened to swimmers and surfers on Monday, as cleanup crews continued working.
By the numbers: The crews have collected 5,400 gallons of oil from vessels and cleaned 250,000 pounds of oil debris from the region as of Sunday, per the L.A. Times.