Oil Spill in San Francisco Bay: A Preventable Tragedy

San Francisco, CA — On November 7th, the cargo ship Cosco Busan hit the San Francisco Bay Bridge, spilling 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay. This was a relatively small spill — the Exxon Valdez was 200 times larger — but poor response and containment turned this accident into a major disaster.

Watch Ocean Conservancy’s video to learn why this spill got out of hand:

San Francisco Bay is one of America’s treasures, and the impact of this oil spill will be felt for years to come. But the real tragedy is that this spill was completely preventable. Furthermore, a containment response in the first two hours could have prevented most of spill from contaminating a vast area of bay and ocean shoreline. Ocean Conservancy is working to ensure that state and federal laws dramatically improve oil spill response plans to better protect our nation’s bays, coastlines and ocean.

You can learn more about the spill here:

Press Releases

Statement of Ocean Conservancy on the California Assembly Package to Improve Oil Spill Prevention & Response
December 6, 2007
Ocean Conservancy Statement

New Satellite Photo of San Francisco Bay Shows Impacts of Oil Spill
November 20, 2007
Ocean Conservancy Press Release

Spill News and Analysis

State Senate panel criticizes state's response in oil spill

Bay spill raises policy questions

Spill-response legislation vowed

The 2007 San Francisco Bay Oil Spill: Lessons Learned, Questions, and Policies (California Progress Report)

Cleaning Up Oil in the Bay (KQED)

Oil spill leaves questions, contradictions

Oil-spill cleanup notification called faulty

Maps of the Spill

San Francisco Chronicle Interactive Google Map (San Francisco Chronicle)

Why Early Containment Matters (Ocean Conservancy video)

Our Local Partners

San Francisco Baykeeper

Save the Bay

California Coastkeeper