Home / Environment / Chevron Donates 2,700 Acres of Restored California Dunes to Wildlife Service
Chevron Donates 2,700 Acres of Restored California Dunes to Wildlife Service
14 Nov
Summary
- Chevron to donate 2,700 acres of restored Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Oil production in the area began in 1947 and continued until 1994, causing extensive environmental damage
- 30-year cleanup process included excavating contaminated soil, building a landfill, and restoring the habitat
As of November 2025, Chevron is set to donate 2,700 acres of the restored Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes in California to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This marks the culmination of a nearly 80-year saga that began with oil production in the area starting in 1947 and continuing until 1994.
The oil operations, initially conducted by Union Oil Co. (Unocal), had a devastating impact on the environment. During thinning, Unocal pumped up to 10 million gallons of kerosene-like oil into the wells, eventually contaminating the groundwater and a nearby beach. By 1994, the U.S. Coast Guard had had enough and ordered Unocal to undergo a massive cleanup.
Chevron entered the picture in 2005 when it acquired Unocal and became responsible for the cleanup. Over the past 30 years, the company has worked tirelessly to excavate the contaminated soil and sand, build a landfill, install wells to protect the groundwater, and rebuild the sand dunes to restore the habitat. This arduous process has allowed animals like red-legged frogs and mountain lions to return to the area.
"Over the past 30 years, we have been able to achieve an amazing transformation in the environment," said Chevron Environmental Management Company lead public affairs adviser Jeff Moore. With the final hurdles of reducing contamination levels and completing the habitat restoration, the project is expected to be completed within the next five years.
