MASSIVE OIL SPILL: Santa Barbara declares state of emergency over massive oil spill in Pacific Ocean

The number of harmed ocean wildlife is still unknown.

About 9 miles of the Pacific ocean, across a popular spot on the California coast, was damaged after a pipeline leaked massive amounts of oil in the water earlier this week.    

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - According to officials, up to 105,000 gallons might have leaked out, with an estimated 21,000 gallons reaching the sea. Santa Barbara has declared a state of emergency following the accident, killing an unknown number of wildlife species in the ocean, including two pelicans.

"We deeply, deeply regret that this incident has occurred at all. We apologize for the damage that it's done to the wildlife and to the environment and we're very sorry for the disruption and inconvenience that it's caused on the citizens and the visitors to this area," said Plains All American Pipeline LP Chairman and CEO Greg L. Armstrong during a news conference.

About 6,000 gallons has already been collected by the clean-up crew, but the extent of time and the amount of cost to fully collect all the oil spilled to the beach and the waters is still unknown, according to the Daily Mail.

Armstrong vowed that the company will stay with the operations until everything has been restored.

Although the company said that oil was flowing through the pipeline at the rate of 54,000 gallons per hour, they did not disclose the rate of leak out or when it started leaking before being discovered and shut down.

The Department of Transportation federal regulators has investigated the cause of the leak, the condition of the pipelines and potential regulation violations.

"Big Oil comes with big risks - from drilling to delivery. Santa Barbara learned that lesson over 40 years ago when offshore drilling led to disaster," said a spokesperson for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Bob Deans.

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