Chevron Agrees to Pay More Than $13 Million in Fines for California Oil Spills

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Chevron has agreed to pay more than $13 million in fines for dozens of past oil spills in California. The California-based energy giant agreed to pay a $5.6 million fine associated with a 2019 oil spill in Kern County. The company has already paid to clean up that spill. This money will instead go toward the state Department of Conservation’s work of plugging old and orphaned wells. The department said it was the largest fine ever assessed in its history. “This agreement is a significant demonstration of California’s commitment to transition away from fossil fuels while holding oil companies accountable when they don’t comply with the state’s regulations and environmental protections,” department Director David Shabazian said in a news release....