LISTEN

State Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris said Thursday that her office was weighing potential criminal charges against operators of the pipeline that spilled more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil along the Santa Barbara County coastline last month.

“We’re going to go where the evidence takes us,” Harris said after touring the sprawling cleanup operation on the rustic coast just north of Santa Barbara.

She said she was troubled by federal regulators’ report Wednesday that corrosion had eaten away much of the metal wall of the ruptured pipeline.

“Certainly, it’s something that we’re taking very seriously,” Harris, standing under a palm tree, told reporters as waves crashed behind her.

Harris’ office is conducting criminal and civil investigations of the oil spill and its aftermath. She visited the cleanup command center Thursday, meeting with officials from more than a dozen federal, state and local government agencies.

Read the full story at the Los Angeles Times >>

Read more about oil spills >>

Have you listened to this article via the audio player above?

If so, send us your feedback around what we can do to improve this feature or further develop it. If not, check it out and let us know what you think via email or on social media.

Jessica Hathaway is the former editor in chief of National Fisherman.

Join the Conversation