KERN COUNTY (AP) – California authorities are preparing to start cleaning up an oil spill that dumped nearly 800,000 gallons of oil and water into a Kern County canyon.

Chevron spokeswoman Veronica Flores-Paniagua said Friday that the seep, which has been flowing off and on since May, has again stopped. She and California officials say the spill is not near any waterway and has not significantly affected wildlife.

However, environmental groups say the spill is another sign of weakened regulations under an embattled California agency. Gov. Gavin Newsom this week fired the head of the state’s oil and gas division.

Chevron reported that 794,000 gallons of oil and water have leaked out of the ground where it uses steam injection to extract oil in the Cymric Oil Field about 35 miles west of Bakersfield.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.