Oil company sues Nevada legislator

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1998 | 11:56 a.m.

Union Oil Company of California is trying to recover $700,000 spent cleaning up the site. The property is owned by the Carson Valley Inn.

Jacobsen, R-Minden, 77, is the longest-serving member in the Nevada Legislature. First elected to the Assembly in 1963, he served there until 1978 when he was elected to the Senate.

He couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.

Union Oil filed its lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. According to the complaint, Jacobsen entered into an agreement with the company in November 1954 giving him the right to distribute Union Oil products in the Minden area.

According to the lawsuit, Jacobsen agreed to indemnify Union Oil and not hold it liable for damage to the property related to his operation of the plant. He also agreed to maintain adequate insurance against such liability, according to the court document.

The lawsuit claims Jacobsen released petroleum products into the environment at the site, and Union Oil began cleaning up the site after getting a demand to do so in 1993 from the Carson Valley Inn.