Buckeye Pipeline Co. and West Shore Pipeline Co have agreed to a settlement totaling nearly nine million dollars. The settlement comes after both companies allegedly violated the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act when their pipeline leaked crude oil into Chicago wetlands.

The Houston-based Buckeye company operated the 3.5 miles-long Line 257 pipeline. The Lemont, Illinois-based West Shore company owned the pipeline. In December 2010, The U.S. and the state of Illinois filed a lawsuit against both companies alleging that they were responsible for a massive underground leak. Over 1,800 barrels of crude oil spilled into the wetlands near Lockport, Illinois, after a hole developed on the buried pipeline. According to the complaint, the pipeline was used to transfer the crude oil from a terminal to a refinery.

The lawsuit also stated that the companies “conducted activities that impacted waters … beyond the scope of” what their Regional Permit 13 allowed. Because of this, their actions ultimately resulted in the leaked crude oil. In an attempt to address the leak, the companies allegedly “placed sumps, booms, straw bales, and groundwater monitoring wells, and excavated trenches, in the wetland adjacent to the Illinois & Michigan Canal.”

The crude oil spill devastated the globally rare dolomite wetland and its natural ecosystem. According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, over a hundred acres of wetlands were destroyed during the leak. The destroyed land is described as having been a critical habitat for the endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly.

“Pipeline companies have a responsibility to protect our waters, people, wildlife, and diverse habitats from oil spills, and will be held accountable for the harms they cause,” assistant attorney general Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division shared after news of the settlement.

As part of the settlement deal, Buckeye and West Shore will pay $1.5 million in fines along with $7.2 million in damages. The money will be used by both state and federal departments to design a restoration plan for the impacted area. There will also be an effort to restore the endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly population as well.

Neither company has admitted guilt for any of the allegations against them following the spill. However, a Buckeye spokesperson shared a statement that explained they were pleased to have reached an agreement with state and federal officials. They add that they will “continue to work with the proper agencies and parties to ensure the ongoing ecological restoration of the affected site."