Saturday 8 November 2014

US oil firm to pay $1.6m for alleged spill

An oil company in the US has agreed to pay a $1.6 million (£1m) fine for alleged claims of a spill from its storage facility in Texas.

The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Superior Crude Gathering discharged at least 2,200 barrels of crude oil in 2010 and violated the Clean Water Act.

The oil discharged from two tanks at the Ingleside facility and flowed into an unnamed lake and wetlands, they added.

Sam Hirsch, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said: “Operators have a responsibility to prevent oil spills and protect the public and the environment through vigilance and preparation. This settlement underscores the consequences of failing to meet that responsibility.”

The proposed consent decree, lodged in the Southern District of Texas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court review and approval.