The owner of an oil tanker that spilled 400 gallons of fuel into San Francisco Bay has agreed to pay nearly $2 million as part of a settlement with state and local authorities.
The settlement by South Harmony Shipping was filed in San Francisco County Superior Court on Tuesday by the district attorneys of San Francisco and Alameda County.
The spill occurred in 2009 when a tank on the ship Dubai Star, which is owned by South Harmony, began overflowing during refueling between San Francisco and Alameda. Investigators say among other errors, the crew waited hours before calling cleanup companies.
The spill coated beaches in Alameda County and killed an estimated 186 birds.
The San Jose Mercury News reports that most of the settlement money will be used to restore wildlife habitat and enhance public recreation.
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