Huntington Beach officials announced Monday that the city would be receiving a $5.25-million settlement from Amplify Energy Corp. for the 2021 spill of 25,000 gallons of crude.
The spill off the Orange County beach city damaged beaches and wetlands and killed scores of birds and fish. Houston-based Amplify owns the pipeline.
Last year, Amplify settled a class-action lawsuit with businesses and residents affected by the oil spill for $50 million. Additionally, the shipping companies linked to the cargo ships accused of causing the pipeline damage agreed to pay out $45 million.
Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Councilmembers Tony Strickland and Casey McKeon and City Atty. Michael Gates held a news conference at City Hall on Monday to herald their news of the latest settlement.
“We want to thank Amplify for working with the city to properly resolve this dispute,” Van Der Mark said. “It is great news for the city that we can now move forward and put these conflicts to rest.”
After they spoke, minority faction Councilmembers Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton stepped to the lectern to make statements. The microphone was cut as they disputed some of the preceding comments.
The conservative majority then came back to the lectern, and the microphone went back on as they wrapped up the 45-minute news conference.
Huntington Beach’s council factions have a contentious relationship, and sparks have flown at a number of council meetings.
City public affairs manager Jennifer Carey said that the news conference was over when the mayor stepped away from the lectern and that it is standard for the audio and video feeds to be shut down at that time.
Asked why the microphone came back on later as Strickland and the conservative majority stepped back to the lectern, Carey had no comment.
Huntington Beach Councilmembers Natalie Moser, left, Dan Kalmick and Rhonda Bolton address the media at City Hall on Monday.
(Matt Szabo / Daily Pilot)
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