Amplify Energy Agrees to $50M California Spill Settlement

A pipeline operator has agreed to pay $50 million to thousands of Southern California fishermen, tourism companies and property owners who sued after an offshore oil spill last year near Huntington Beach.

A proposed settlement between Amplify Energy Corp., which owns the pipeline that ruptured in October 2021 and spilled 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, and the businesses and residents was filed Monday in federal court in Santa Ana, court documents show.

Under the proposal, the Houston-based energy company would pay $34 million to commercial fishermen and $9 million to coastal property owners. It also would pay $7 million to waterfront tourism operators, including businesses that provide surf lessons and leisure cruises and shops that sell swimwear and fishing bait.

A federal judge still needs to sign off on the proposal for it to take effect. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.

"This is a really dramatic first step and a dramatic compensation for these victims of this terrible tragedy," said Wylie Aitken, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, whom he estimated number more than 10,000.