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Just interrupted Shep Smith....2 [people trapped in burning building

The Department of Energy and Occidental Petroleum Corporation today concluded the largest divestiture of federal property in the history of the U.S. government. In a Washington, D.C., ceremony, Secretary of Energy Federico Peña and Occidental Oil & Gas Chief Executive David Hentschel signed final papers for the sale of the United States' interest in the Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve to Occidental. Early today, Occidental executed a wire transfer of $3.65 billion to the U.S. Treasury. In return, the U.S. Government recorded a deed in the Kern County (CA) Courthouse, transferring title to the property which had been in government...

By DAVIN McHENRY, Californian staff writer e-mail: davinmchenry@bakersfield.com Tuesday October 29, 2002, 11:17:45 PM Kern County Assessor James Maples got an early retirement present Tuesday when a state appeal court overturned a multibillion-dollar assessment appeal by Occidental Petroleum Corp. The ruling means the county and other local agencies could get back $27 million in property taxes they were forced to return to Oxy last year. The ruling, if it stands, could also set the stage for the county and other agencies to finally spend tens of millions they have been setting aside for other potential appeals. Maples, who will retire...