Plains Oil Spill Restitution Form
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. has been convicted of one felony and seven misdemeanors in connection with the 2015 oil spill near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County in a criminal case pending in state court. People v. Plains, (Santa Barbara Superior Court Criminal Case No. 1495091). As part of the criminal sentencing, the Superior Court has ruled that Plains must pay money to fishers and seafood processors who were victims of Plains’ illegal conduct.
Judge Thomas P. Anderle, the Santa Barbara Superior Court judge overseeing the criminal sentencing, recently issued an order declaring that fisher and seafood processor losses caused by the oil spill would be considered as part of a restitution process that awards money to victims of Plains’ crimes. This means that Judge Anderle will consider whether to force Plains to compensate you as a crime victim. Judge Anderle has announced that he will make restitution awards after a series of hearings that will begin in June 2021. You may participate in this process regardless of whether you are a member the Fisher Class in the federal class action.
The attorneys appointed to represent the Fisher Class in the federal class action are making this form available for potential members of the class to provide additional information and documentation to support a restitution claim of losses beyond those asserted in the federal class action, which is limited to claims for lost profits in certain fisheries. For example, you could provide evidence of gear that was damaged or destroyed by oil from the oil spill.