History of GOO!
On January 28, 1969, an unprecedented disaster struck Santa Barbara. Six miles offshore, Platform A suffered a massive blowout, triggering the worst man-made environmental catastrophe in U.S. history at that time. Within 24 hours, 75 square miles of ocean were covered in crude oil, as the platform continued spilling 210,000 gallons per day for several days. The leak lasted for months, ultimately releasing three to four million gallons of oil, polluting 30 miles of local beaches and contaminating the shores of the Channel Islands.
The devastation was staggering. In some areas, oil on beaches reached six inches thick. More than 3,600 birds perished, and the spill decimated marine life, with intertidal organisms suffering an 80-90% mortality rate. The disaster dealt a crushing blow to Santa Barbara's fishing and tourism industries, which struggled to recover for years.
Within 24 hours of the disaster, concerned citizens united to form Get Oil Out! (GOO!). The shock and outrage from the 1969 spill ignited a movement, inspiring a generation of environmentalists committed to combating oil pollution and reducing society’s dependence on
fossil fuels.
About Us
Mission:
Preserve and conserve Santa Barbara’s unique natural environment, scenic beauty and resources by opposing offshore and onshore fossil fuel development which pose a significant danger to that environment.
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Lessen our fossil fuel consumption and reliance on foreign oil by promoting personal and business energy conservation measures and petroleum addiction reduction education.
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Actively encourage the development of renewable resources as alternative fuels.
Monitoring & Awareness
Our Work
As one of its primary functions, GOO! regularly monitors all oil and gas development proposals in Santa Barbara County, with special emphasis in the Santa Barbara Channel. The organization further advocates against specific proposed oil and gas development projects and in favor of the decommissioning of existing oil and gas developments.
GOO! provides both oral and written testimony to local, state and federal decision-making entities (ie, Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, State Lands Commission, California Coastal Commission). When necessary, GOO! participates in the legal process to prevent oil and gas development projects which will be detrimental to the environmental resources, particularly marine resource in the County. Furthermore, GOO! takes positions on state and federal legislation that will further its goals—to Get Oil Out!
GOO! sponsors a booth annually in Santa Barbara’s Earth Day event, providing information to attendees about our work, as well as current threats to the safety our environment. It also participates in public educational forums on issues related to oil development in conjunction with other local environmental organizations such and the Environmental Defense Center and the League of Women Voters.