VENTURA - When 84 gallons of crude oil leaked from a corroded pipe and into a creek leading to the Pacific Ocean in Ventura on Friday, May 17, our California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) members who are oil spill prevention specialists went to work.

“Our people respond to all incidents when oil has the potential to enter water,” said Capt. Jeff Cowan, MM.  Cowan is an oil spill prevention specialist, a California Association of Regulatory Investigators & Inspectors (CARII) board member and a member of CSLEA.

As part of the Department of Fish & Wildlife Oil Spill Prevention & Response (OSPR) team, CSLEA members like James Foto (below) are on the scene, where cleanup and an investigation continues.  The oil and oily water was being flushed out of the creek and vacuumed into a tank.   Less than one gallon of crude oil reached the Pacific Ocean near Ice Box Canyon after the oil overflowed from a containment area. (http://www.facebook.com/CalSpillWatch) 

"There is a science to containing oil spills and cleaning them up and our members who are oil spill prevention specialists, are just that, specialists," said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona.  "Their work is fascinating as they protect our environment so that all of us can live, work and play safely here in the state of California."

If you are not familiar with OSPR, check out the OSPR Facebook page!