Pipeline safety regulators have imposed their largest fine ever on the company responsible for leaking 1.1 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast in 2023. The $9.6 million fine is close to the total fines the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration usually issues each year. However, Third Coast, which operates 1,900 miles of pipelines, recently secured a nearly $1 billion loan. The agency said Third Coast failed to establish proper emergency procedures and didn’t adequately assess risks. The National Transportation Safety Board found that operators failed to shut down the pipeline for nearly 13 hours after gauges first hinted at a problem.
Record $9.6 million fine for Third Coast after substantial oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico
