Advanced Industrial Services Inc. reaches settlement after about 150 gallons of petroleum byproduct was dumped into local creek bed
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – On Friday, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced that a $29,736 settlement was reached with Advanced Industrial Services Inc. after about 150 gallons of petroleum-contaminated wastewater was dumped into Grimes Canyon Creek by a vacuum truck operator.
On Nov. 1, 2022, an employee of the California Natural Resources Group discovered petroleum byproduct in a dry creek bed at the Dryden oil lease facility in Fillmore stated a press release from the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Friday.
Environmental authorities launched an investigation and used a combination of physical evidence, logbook records, photographs, tire tread analysis, and witness statements to track the discharge back to a vacuum truck owned and operated by Advanced Industrial Services Inc. detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, collected evidence showed that between 4 a.m. and 4:49 a.m., a driver loaded petroleum-contaminated wastewater into a vacuum truck, backed the truck up to Grimes Canyon Creek, and dumped about 150 gallons of wastewater into a ravine leading to the creek bed.
The driver then left without reporting any spill as required by law added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Following the investigation, Advanced Industrial Services Inc. reached a $29,736 settlement and the company was ordered to comply with permanent injunctive terms prohibiting the unlawful disposal of petroleum products stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
"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 Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. "The objective of this settlement is to ensure that harmful discharges into our environment do not reoccur."
