For over a century, decade after decade, Summerland has been slowly recovering from a few years of intense oil drilling at the turn of the 20th century. Today, when on the beach, it’s hard to imagine what once was built on and just offshore of it and upon Summerland’s bluffs to extract the oil.

California’s State Lands Commission is responsible for managing our tide lands and the Commission has been responding to the appeals of concerned citizens, the SCA and those of the group, Heal the Ocean. But there’s no rest for the weary. Pollution left over from that 1893-1907 oil boom is still being brought to shore by swells and wind waves and seeping from the beach.