$3.4M fine proposed over 2021 California oil pipeline leak

A federal agency is proposing a nearly $3.4 million fine for an energy company over a 2021 oil pipeline spill that fouled Southern California beaches. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration says Amplify Energy Corp. ignored 83 alarms and failed to shut down the offshore pipeline to San Pedro Bay for hours. The October 2021 spill of 25,000 gallons of crude oil created a miles-wide sheen in the ocean. It shut down beaches for a week and fisheries for more than a month. The company settled lawsuits for $50 million. Last month, the company said it had received permission to restart pipeline operations.