California oil spill: Gov. Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency; criminal, civil investigations underway
![](https://calscientists.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Southern_California_Oil_Spill.jpg)
Cleanup crews along Southern California’s coast deployed skimmers who attempted to corral oil-slicked ocean waters in booms last week. Meanwhile, wildlife experts scrambled to protect birds and fish from an enormous oil spill threatening to close beaches for months.