Heal the Ocean study maps legacy oil wells and methane emissions in Summerland

A study of legacy oil infrastructure near Summerland, California, has identified previously unknown connections between wells, methane plumes and additional seafloor faults and fractures that may provide pathways for hydrocarbons to reach the marine environment.

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A study of the Summerland seafloor and surrounding area is providing new information about legacy oil wells and hydrocarbon emissions that could help determine which wells should be prioritized for abandonment.

Heal the Ocean is conducting the Summerland Oil Mitigation Study, or SOMS, to map the geology and infrastructure of the Summerland seafloor and surrounding area while developing a detailed understanding of hydrocarbon emissions from the region's legacy oil wells.

The study is intended to provide information to the California State Lands Commission to help determine which wells should be prioritized for full abandonment. The commission has already abandoned eight legacy oil and gas wells in Santa Barbara County, but several hundred high-priority legacy wells in the Summerland area alone could leak oil into the marine environment.

Preliminary findings from SOMS are revealing previously unknown connectivity between wells, along with methane plumes and additional seafloor faults and fractures that may provide pathways for hydrocarbons to reach the marine environment.

“What we are learning in Summerland has significance far beyond this one oil field,” said Karina Johnston, executive director of Heal the Ocean. “SOMS is giving us the ability to connect emissions, geology, and infrastructure so we can identify which legacy wells are actually driving pollution and target abandonment where it can have the greatest benefit. Just as importantly, the team is developing a science-based approach that could be applied to aging oil infrastructure anywhere in the world, whether it is on land or underwater.”

SOMS researchers have been collecting time-series data from two Meteorological Air Quality Trailers to track emissions from the Summerland nearshore oil field. Analysis of the data has revealed previously unknown connectivity between wells, information that could help determine which wells should be targeted during different phases of abandonment.

During marine surveys this week aboard a research vessel, Heal the Ocean and its scientific partners at Bubbleology Research International also pinpointed several methane, or CH₄, plumes using multiple technologies.

The technologies included methane detection systems, live-stream multi-beam sonar, water quality sensors and a crude-oil sensor capable of detecting concentrations down to approximately 1 part per billion.

Researchers also identified more faults and fractures on the seafloor than had previously been mapped. Those geological features may represent additional pathways for hydrocarbons to migrate toward the seafloor and surrounding waters.

SOMS combines air-emissions monitoring with seafloor mapping, water chemistry analyses, meteorological data, aerial observations and other measurements to create a more complete picture of legacy oil fields.

The goal is to develop a repeatable technique for identifying problematic wells and aging oil infrastructure based on their emissions and geological characteristics. The resulting methodology could potentially be used in other coastal oil fields around the world to help regulators and communities identify pollution sources.

For Summerland, the immediate objective is to provide the scientific information needed to help Heal the Ocean and the California State Lands Commission determine which legacy wells should be abandoned next and how abandonment can be most effectively sequenced.

The study is funded by the California Ocean Protection Council, Nora McNeely Hurley Foundation and Mericos Foundation. It is scheduled to be completed in December 2026, with findings to be shared publicly.

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Burning alcohol and big dreams: Junior Dragsters bring family, speed and tradition to Illinois grassroots racing

At small local tracks such as Midstate Dragway near Havana, Illinois, young racers are learning the fundamentals of drag racing alongside the parents who make each trip down the quarter-mile possible.

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Alan Look Photography - www.alanlook.com

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by Alan Look
Best Look Magazine

Before the mega-sponsors, the stadium seating, and the thunderous roar of nitro-burning Top Fuel monsters echoing on national television, every legend in drag racing starts in the exact same place. They start at small, local tracks tucked away off county highways. Places like Midstate Dragway near Havana, Illinois, where the pavement tells a thousand stories and the love of speed is passed down like a family heir.

On a hot, humid afternoon, these grassroots strips come alive with a sensory overload that stirs instant nostalgia. It’s the sweet, sharp sting of burning alcohol fuel hanging thick in the heavy summer air, the acrid smoke billowing off sticky slicks during a burnout, and the intense, motionless battle with the Christmas tree lights. Here, on asphalt so tacky it threatens to peel the shoes off your feet, the true soul of motorsport thrives.

Nothing captures that pure, multi-generational spirit quite like the Junior Dragster class.

It’s the ultimate crucible for the young and the fearless—a place where kids learn the art of the reaction time before they can even drive on public roads. But make no mistake: this isn't a solo sport.

Parked in the staging lanes alongside every half-scale dragster are the real pit crews: dedicated moms and dads checking tire pressures, tuning small-block engines, and buckling their kids securely into the cockpit. It’s a masterclass in bonding at 70 miles per hour, where life lessons on winning gracefully, dealing with a heart-wrenching breakout, and wrenching through technical glitches are taught one quarter-mile at a time.

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Alan Look Photography - www.alanlook.com

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Among the next generation chasing the light is Tony Fillipponi, a young teenager out of Heyworth, Illinois.

Racing under the banner of TFR Racing, Tony isn't just turning laps for fun—he’s fueling a fire. Every time he stages his Junior Dragster, eyes locked on the tree, he’s rehearsing for the future with his mom and dad, Cori and Mario, working as his dedicated crew.

Like so many who came before him on these rural Illinois strips, Tony holds a clear vision: stepping up through the ranks until he’s strapped into the cockpit of a 330-mph Top Fuel Dragster. On hot, sticky race days at Midstate, watching him roll up to the line with his crew in tow, you get the distinct feeling you aren't just watching a weekend event—you're watching the opening chapter of a lifelong dream taking flight.

About the Author & Photographer:
Images and coverage by Alan Look Photography – Capturing the Soul of the Heartland. For more photo stories, grassroots racing coverage, and features on local talent, visit the Best Look Magazine blog.

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New Illinois movement grows as rural counties push for state separation

The movement to create a new, independent state from parts of Illinois is gaining momentum, with organizers pointing to growing support across rural counties. Supporters say the effort is about representation rather than partisan politics.

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by Judith Ruiz-Branch
Public News Service

Organizers pushing for a new, independent state within Illinois said they are prepared to play the long game to conquer the urban-rural divide.

The movement of counties wanting to break off into a new territory is growing.

G. H. Merritt, chairman of the board of the nonprofit New Illinois, said it is fundamentally about representation in government, not partisan politics. Merritt pointed out rural communities often feel forgotten and it is a phenomenon transcending party affiliation.

"The government is passing things that may be in the best interest of Chicago, which is fine. The problem is nobody cares about what's in the best interest of rural, small town and suburban areas," Merritt explained.

Merritt argued Gov. J.B. Pritzker has done a poor job of living up to his commitment to represent all parts of the state. Pritzker has consistently dismissed the movement as a partisan idea that will not work. Pritzker's administration maintains the effort is not legally or financially feasible.

Merritt noted the push to form a separate state has been going on for nearly a century in different pockets of Illinois. Today, two separate organizations are taking ground. One is Merritt's group, which works to educate residents about their constitutional right to pursue forming a new state. Another organization called Illinois Separation Referendum focuses on placing advisory referendums on county ballots.

Merritt added the current movement is different because it has grown to be widespread and organized. The Separation Referendum started its efforts downstate.

"New Illinois began in northern Illinois and so it's worked its way down. They've worked their way up," Merritt observed. "About 70 of Illinois's 101 counties have an active state split movement going on there, so that tells you what the breadth of it is."

Under the U.S. Constitution, creating a new state from an existing one requires the consent of both the Illinois General Assembly and Congress. Critics believe neither is a realistic path.

But Merritt countered referendums have been approved in 33 counties already, with more expected to have measures on their ballots come November.

"Things like this, people think they're crazy. They laugh at you," Merritt acknowledged. "The fact is, if you end up with a massive majority of the geographic area of your state and the population there that wants this, they are going to have to listen."

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TAGS: New Illinois state separation movement, Illinois counties seeking state separation, rural Illinois push for new state, Illinois county state split referendums, urban-rural divide in Illinois politics

Summer of Solidarity seeks nominations for Champaign County community heroes

Know someone who has made Champaign County a better place through advocacy, mentorship, bridge-building or simply showing up for others? Beginning Aug. 22, the Summer of Solidarity coalition will give residents a way to recognize and celebrate those local heroes.

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URBANA - Know someone who has made Champaign County a better place through advocacy, mentorship, bridge-building or simply showing up for others?

The Summer of Solidarity coalition wants to hear about them.

Beginning Aug. 22, residents can nominate and recognize living people who live or once lived in Champaign County and who have made a meaningful difference through their care, support, bravery, advocacy, vision, collaboration, respect, kindness or other efforts to strengthen their community.

The coalition is launching the Solidarity Hero of Champaign County, or SHOCC, project to encourage residents to recognize people who have helped make their communities better and to personally celebrate the impact those individuals have had.

SHOCC awards recognize living people who live or once lived in Champaign County and have strengthened their community through actions such as advocacy, mentoring, bridge-building, kindness, courage and leadership. The project aims to build stronger connections by encouraging residents to openly appreciate local heroes and collectively celebrate people working to create a more caring and just community.

The project is intentionally broad. A SHOCC recipient might be someone who has mentored others, built bridges between people, advocated for their community, challenged others to do better, offered support during difficult times or pursued a vision for a better community, state or country.

Residents also can work together to recognize someone they share as a local hero. If the honoree is willing, organizers encourage groups to host a SHOCC celebration to collectively recognize that person's contributions.

The Summer of Solidarity began in 2025 and continues to highlight exemplary local leadership and community-minded efforts. Through the SHOCC project, the coalition hopes to encourage people to recognize those who strengthen the community by putting people over profit and standing up for civil rights, respect and justice.

For residents wondering who to nominate, the coalition's message is simple: Think about the person who helped lead the way for you or others in Champaign County. If that person has made your community stronger through caring, advocacy, courage, mentorship, collaboration or a commitment to a better future, they may be a Solidarity Hero of Champaign County.

Nominators can download SHOCC award certificates and give them to as many eligible recipients as they wish. Each certificate should include a personal explanation of how the honoree has demonstrated meaningful solidarity. Free certificates and information about eligibility and award parameters will be available beginning Aug. 22 on the Summer of Solidarity website.

Physical certificates also will be available for free at five local businesses: Art Coop, Circles, Exile on Main Street, Fire Doll Studio and Spineless Books. Pickup locations and the award parameters will be listed on the Summer of Solidarity website when the project launches.

For more information, contact Aimee Rickman at airiemail@yahoo.com or https://tinyurl.com/SOScu26

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TAGS: Solidarity Hero of Champaign County awards, Summer of Solidarity Champaign County local heroes, nominate community leaders in Champaign County, local advocacy and community leadership awards Urbana Illinois, SHOCC award certificates Champaign County