Settlement Proposed for Oil Spill in Corpus Christi Bay, Texas
APRIL 15, 2024 — On April 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice proposed a settlement to restore natural resources impacted by the Flint Hills Dock #5 oil spill. Per the consent decree, the responsible party will pay $427,000 for restoration and future costs, plus $162,213 of remaining trustee assessment costs, and a $400,000 Clean Water Act civil penalty. The settlement will be subject to a 30-day public comment period.
The Flint Hills Dock #5 oil spill occurred on December 24, 2022, when a pipeline failure at the Ingleside crude oil terminal released approximately 14,000 gallons of light crude oil into Corpus Christi Bay, Texas. The responsible party worked with local, state, and federal emergency response teams on the assessment of local shorelines, containment, and collection of oil. NOAA worked with state and federal co-trustees to assess injury to marsh and sandy beach shorelines, birds, and turtles. Co-trustees include the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas General Land Office, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The trustees will work with the public to identify and select potential restoration projects—for example—restoration of marshes, sea turtles, and birds. A restoration plan will be drafted and released for public comment in the months after the settlement is finalized.