WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2021) Three companies that own and operate the 17-mile-long San Pedro Bay Pipeline have been charged with negligent conduct over a massive oil spill in October that damaged California's coastline, the Justice Department said in a statement.
"A Federal grand jury today accused three companies with illegally discharging oil during a pipeline break in early October by acting negligently in at least six ways, including 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," the release said on Wednesday.
The indictment charges Amplify Energy Corporation, Beta Operating Company, and San Pedro Bay Pipeline Company with one misdemeanor count of negligent discharge of oil, according to the release.
As a result of the alleged negligent conduct, the release added, about 25,000 gallons of crude oil were discharged less than five miles west of southern California's Huntington Beach.
