Pipeline firm to pay $230M for 2015 spill

LOS ANGELES — The owner of an oil pipeline that spewed thousands of barrels of crude oil onto Southern California beaches in 2015 has agreed to pay $230 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by fishermen and property owners, court documents show.

Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline agreed to pay $184 million to fishermen and fish processors and $46 million to coastal property owners in the settlement reached Friday, according to court documents.

The company didn’t admit liability in the agreement, which follows seven years of legal wrangling. The agreement still must undergo a public comment period and needs federal court approval. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for June 10.

“This settlement should serve as a reminder that pollution just can’t be a cost of doing business,” said Matthew Preusch, one of the attorneys who represented the plaintiffs.

Plains All American Pipeline officials didn’t immediately return a message Saturday from The Associated Press seeking comment.

On May 19, 2015, oil gushed from a corroded pipeline north of Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County, spreading along the coasts of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

A federal investigation said 123,000 gallons spilled. Federal inspectors found that Plains had made several preventable errors, failed to quickly detect the pipeline rupture and responded too slowly as oil flowed toward the ocean.

Plains apologized for the spill and paid for the cleanup. In 2020, Plains agreed to pay $60 million to the federal government to settle allegations that it violated safety laws. It also agreed to bring its system into compliance with federal laws.