Lawsuits put into action following 2021 Orange County oil spill
In October 2021, an underwater pipeline off the coast of Huntington Beach spilled thousands of gallons of crude oil. Over a year later, the effects of the spill are still prevalent. Photo from The Panther Archives
Lawsuits against shipping and fishing companies are still popping up following a 25,000 gallon oil spill from underwater pipelines off the coast of Huntington Beach in October 2021.
According to a 2022 fact sheet released after the incident, crude oil was spilled into San Pedro Bay from the underwater pipeline that ran from Platform Elly to Long Beach. Shipping and fishing companies dragged anchors that damaged the pipeline, which ultimately led to the extensive oil spill.
Over a year after the incident, residents and businesses that were affected by the spill will split $45 million in compensation from the shipping companies that damaged the underwater pipe. Those getting the compensation include local fishermen, tourism companies and some homeowners.
The compensation from fishing companies is an additional amount to the $50 million paid last October from Amplify Energy, who owns the pipeline, according to an article written by the Orange County Register.
According to a March 1 article published by the Los Angeles Times, fishing companies and their subsidiaries arranged a $95 million payment to Amplify Energy Corp, which was one of the final lawsuits regarding the oil spill.
Ramesh Singh, an environmental science professor at Chapman University, said that the long-term effects of the oil spill depend on the cleanup process involved and that the oil could potentially prohibit photosynthesis of nearing reefs.
“The oil spill is over the water… and sun radiation cannot get through,” Singh told The Panther. “The long-term impact is that all the fish, the coral reefs and the birds get affected. If there is an oil spill on the ocean, not much sun radiation is going to go inside.”
Singh also spoke about the economic effect of the spill. Since crude oil was spilled near Huntington Beach, he said that activities such as swimming and surfing could impact tourism.
“Wherever the oil is leaking, there is also methane emissions, and the methane emissions also affect the people,” Singh said.
Sophomore environmental science major Elena Skender said that humans will not suffer to the extent that marine life will in the long run.
“Humans see more of the short term effects such as not being able to visit the beach for a couple weeks after the oil spill or having a shortage of seafood due to the spill,” Skender said. “The long-term effects of the oil spill can cause marine animals to live in a harmful environment for a very long time, and species might struggle to regrow their population.”
To prevent these effects and oil spills in general, Calif. Sen. Dave Min (D-37) introduced Senate Bill (SB) 559 in February 2023, which outlaws California waters under existing leases to drill oil offshore. Under the bill, the State Lands Commission is required to work with oil and gas producers to end all leases under state jurisdiction by the end of 2025.
Min represents some portions of Orange County, including Huntington Beach and Orange.
“After the 2021 oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach, I promised I would fight to end offshore drilling once and for all,” Min stated in a Feb. 15 press release on his website. “Today, I am proud to say that I am continuing to try and keep that promise. The meager benefits of offshore oil production do not justify the enormous risks they pose to our coastal communities. SB 559 offers a thoughtful, measured approach that will end offshore drilling in state waters once and for all.”