The state of New Jersey has extracted a $1 million settlement from Chevron over a 2006 oil spill in the Arthur Kill, and Navesink River oyster beds are among the expected beneficiaries, according to the Star-Ledger.
The $1 million will be used by the non-profit New York-New Jersey Baykeeper to help fund its decade-old effort to reestablish oyster beds in New York Harbor, Raritan Bay, and the Raritan and Navesink rivers, the Ledger reports.
“This is an appropriate settlement, particularly given that the funds will be used to create new oyster beds in an effort to reestablish an important part of the harbor’s ecosystem, ” said Attorney General Stuart Rabner.
Details about the distribution and use of the funds were not reported.
The deal ends litigation over the spill of more than 10,000 gallons of crude oil into Arthur Kill off Perth Amboy on Feb. 13, 2006. There will be no criminal prosecution, Peter Aseltine, a Department of Law and Public Safety spokesman, told the Ledger.
“The circumstances surrounding the spill were thoroughly investigated by our Environmental Crimes Bureau,” said Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw. “Fortunately, the environmental damage was limited due to a quick response.”