The first lease sale took place on December 15, 1966, after a notice of the impending sale in the Federal Register went unnoticed by local officials.
However, the turning point for her came during the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which began on January 28, 1969 and became the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history at the time.
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It is generally believed that the inspiration for Earth Day was the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill; however, Gaylord Nelson, the senator who proposed the idea, has never directly cited any direct cause for the establishment of the holiday.