As visible signs of the oil spill along Refugio State Beach become harder to see, the work of politicians and legal counsels continue. Only days after the spill, Santa Barbara County’s District Attorney Joyce Dudley confirmed her office was investigating Plains All American Pipeline, the company responsible for the spill. Her department has teamed up with both state and federal officials to review potential criminal charges following the rupture of a 24-inch underground pipeline. DA Dudley visited our studio and spoke with All Things Considered host Larry Perel about the investigation.
Dudley’s office is working with both the state and federal government to investigate and try cases in both the criminal and civil arena. But, Dudley reassures the grunt of the work is coming out of the county itself.
“I’m rather possessive of Santa Barbara County, so I wanted to make sure my prosecutors and I were personally involved,” she said.
Her employees are currently compiling investigate reports, interviews and scientific tests in not only Santa Barbara County but also Ventura and Los Angeles, where tar balls were found along beaches, tested and confirmed to come from the spill.
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