OC spill: 3 companies charged after thousands of gallons of oil leaked into ocean
Shipping container company being investigated in Huntington Beach oil spill
The U.S. Coast Guard has designated the Mediterranean Shipping Company and others as parties of interest in an investigation into a vessel that was determined to be the source of an offshore pipeline leak in Southern California.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Three companies are facing federal charges in connection to the Oct. 2021 oil spill that damaged the Orange County coastline.
According to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the following companies are accused of illegally discharging oil during the pipeline break off the coast of Huntington Beach back in early October:
- Amplify Energy Corp.
- Beta Operating Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Amplify
- San Pedro Bay Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Amplify
Amplify and its two subsidiaries are also accused of "failing to properly respond to eight separate leak alarms over the span of more than 13 hours and improperly restarting the pipeline that had been shut down following the leak alarms," according to the DOJ.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Oil spill: Data shows ship crossed over oil pipeline that ruptured off coast of Huntington Beach
- Huntington Beach oil spill: 1,200-foot ship dragged oil pipeline, Coast Guard says
- California oil spill called 'environmental catastrophe;' Crews race to limit damage
The leak happened on October 1, but the DOJ is accusing Amplify and its two subsidiaries of continuing their operations – on and off – through the next morning, despite the pipeline being damaged. The DOJ claims the companies' negligence caused about 25,000 gallons of crude oil to leak up to 4.7 miles off the coast of Huntington Beach.
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The DOJ said the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal INvestigation Division and the FBI are teaming up in the investigation of the Huntington Beach oil spill.
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