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Abandoned Santa Barbara County Oil Wells Need Estimated $900,000 In Repairs

For decades, a coastal Santa Barbara county community has dealt with oil production facilities that were never completely capped properly.

At times, one of the wells known as the Becker well, would produce visible oil in the surf and on the beach.

To add to the problem, the private operators cannot be located and the area has been abandoned.

Now, led by the nonprofit group Heal the Ocean, the community of Summerland is working on a letter-writing campaign to get state funding for repairs.

The plan requires the funds to be disbursed over the next two business cycles, for an estimated total of $900,000.