Oil sheen in Long Bech, California. Photo: Shutterstock The City of Long Beach is "closely monitoring" conditions in the LA River in close coordination with the Unified Command for an oil sheen incident observed near the PCH bridge on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
"At this time, we understand that no new oil is entering the river. Current mitigation efforts are focused on addressing the oil that is already present," explained the authorities.
Long Beach, California. Photo: Ruslan Harutyunov / Shutterstock.comThe crew deployed at the scene placed additional oil-absorbing booms at Willow Street, PCH, Ocean Blvd, and the approach to Golden Shore, and implemented skimming operations to further remove oil from the river.
"As of today, no sheen has been observed in the areas of Golden Shore or Ocean Blvd, and mitigation efforts appear to be effective.
Our Homeless Services team is conducting outreach along the river to offer services and inform people about the current situation. There is still no impact to Long Beach recreational waters or beaches. We will continue to provide updates as conditions change."
The authorities have asked locals to report any sightings of an oil sheen in the LA River to the Long Beach Fire Department. Air quality concerns in relation to the incident can also be reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. "Please avoid calling 9-1-1 for updates unless you are experiencing an emergency," emphasized officials.