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Advanced Industrial Services, Inc. agreed to pay $29,736 after a driver for the company dumped 150 gallons of petroleum-contaminated wastewater into Grimes Canyon Creek near Fillmore.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced the settlement Friday after the case was investigated by both the DA’s office and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The company was also ordered to comply with permanent injunctive terms prohibiting the unlawful disposal of petroleum products, the DA’s office said in a news release.
The case was opened Nov. 1, 2022, when an employee of California Natural Resources Group discovered petroleum byproduct in a dry creek bed at the Dryden oil lease facility in Fillmore.
Investigators ultimately traced the materials back to an Advanced Industrial Services-operated vacuum truck using a combination of physical evidence, logbook records, photographs, tire tread analysis and witness statements, according to the DA’s office.
That evidence showed a temporary employee drove the truck and dumped petroleum-contaminated wastewater into a ravine leading to the creek bed. The driver then left without reporting the spill, as required by law.
“This case underscores the importance of thorough environmental investigations and the critical role of state, and local partnerships to protect Ventura County’s natural resources,” said DA Erik Nasarenko in a statement.
Authorities urged the public to report any suspected environmental violations to ensure the protection of local waterways and ecosystems.