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Amplify Energy Oil Spill Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Amplify Energy and its affiliates have been hit with another class action lawsuit over a recent oil spill in California.
- Why: A small business owner located in the Huntington Beach area accuses Anthem of negligence in the oil spill that he says “caused significant losses and damages” to local small businesses.
- Where: The class action seeks to represent California businesses affected by the oil spill.
Amplify Energy, and its affiliates, face another class action lawsuit in the aftermath of October’s oil spill off the California coast.
The class action lawsuit was lodged in California on October 20 by Charlie’s Gyros, a Mediterranean/Greek restaurant in Huntington Beach, California.
The eatery is owned and operated by Huntington Beach resident Charlie Zablah. Zablah claims that as a result of an October oil spill, and due to subsequent environmental hazards and closures, the business has suffered severely—all a result of Amplify’s negligence.
Amplify Energy Faces Multiple Oil Spill Class Actions by California Residents and Businesses
This isn’t the only lawsuit the energy company is facing over the spill, which others filed by Big Fish Bait & Tackle, local DJ company owner Peter Moses Gutierrez Jr. and a group of Laguna Beach property owners.
All allege Amplify failed to maintain and manage the pipeline that caused the spill.
Between October 1 and October 2, 2021, an oil pipeline, transporting oil from the Beta Field to a pump in Long Beach, California, began gushing oil just four miles from shore.
The spill came from a ruptured pipe which connects to an offshore oil platform in the Beta Field named the Elly Platform. The pipeline is owned and operated subsidiaries of Amplify.
The ruptured pipe resulted in a release of as much as 131,000 gallons of crude oil into the San Pedro Bay area and into the Pacific Ocean, says the class action.
The pipeline ruptured at approximately 2:30 on October 2. However, Amplify failed to notify the US Coast Guard National Response Center until 6:01—over three hours later—allowing the ruptured pipe to release crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, uncontrolled, for hours, the gyro restaurant alleges.
Residents of Huntington Beach reported odors related to the spill in the evening of October 1, then in the early hours of Saturday, October 2 a large oil slick was visible in the Pacific less than five miles offshore, already wreaking havoc on marine life, dolphins, and boats, the class action alleges.
According to the lawsuit, the Coast Guard was notified of the oil sheen by a Good Samaritan, not Amplify.
“Amplify only notified the U.S. Coast Guard after its company inspectors noticed oil in the water. Amplify did not report shutting down the flow of oil to the Pipeline until Saturday night, at least 24 hours after residents reported smelling oil on shore.”
Amplify’s Inaction Allowed Oil to Devastate California Coast, Says Class Action
Charlie’s Gyros says that Amplify knew or should have known that oil was leaking immediately as the pipe was ruptured, through monitoring devices of the pipeline and product transported by the pipeline.
By late Saturday night, the oil began to wash ashore in Huntington Beach and continued drifting south along the California coastline leaving vast amounts of oil along the extended coastline into Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and other beach cities, the claim says.
“[This caused] lasting devastation to the coastal waters, beaches, wildlife, their delicate habitats, businesses, residents and visitors up and down Orange County’s coastal communities.”
Charlie’s Gyros alleges in the claim that the environmental devastation also damaged his, and other, small businesses. The restaurant points out that small businesses were just starting to recover after the pandemic when the spill happened.
“Sadly, as a result of this incident, Charlie’s Gyros has and will continue to suffer significant loss of business, and its losses continue to amass as a result of the closures and ongoing devastation.”
Charlie’s Gyros wants to represent other businesses suffering losses after the spill in California’s coastal cities. It is suing for strict liability for ultra hazardous activities, negligence, trespass, private nuisance, public nuisance, and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law and the Federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
It seeks certification of the class, injunctive relief, order of enjoinment, damages, legal costs and fees, interest, and a jury trial.
To see if you qualify to join a class action lawsuit investigation into property damage caused by the California oil spill click here (links to paid attorney advertisement).
Charlie’s Gyros is represented by Gregory L. Bentley, Matthew W. Clark and Jaimi M. Groothuis of Bentley & More LLP.
The Amplify Oil Spill Class Action Lawsuit is Charlie’s Gyros, Inc. v. Amplify Energy Corporation, et al., Case No. 8:21-cv-01738 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Southern Division.
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Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
- Amplify Energy Waited Hours Before Stopping Oil Spill Off Southern California Coast, Class Action Claims
- Homeowners Claim Amplify Energy, Beta Offshore Responsible For Oil Spill Off California Coast
- Amplify Energy Faces Beach DJ’s Class Action After California Oil Spill Closes Venue
- RDo You Qualify: Southern California Oil Spill Property Damage Lawsuit Investigation
