The company was charged with three counts of failing to report the release of hazardous materials from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, and one count of discharging air contaminants, beginning Oct. 23 and continuing through Tuesday.
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The lawsuit also cites environmental damage caused by the uncontrolled release of 80,000 tonnes of methane, the prime component of natural gas and a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
It directs operators of underground gas storage facilities such as the SoCal Gas unit in Aliso Canyon to “inspect and take immediate actions to ensure the safety of underground natural gas storage facilities across the country”, according to Marie Therese Dominguez, the agency’s administrator.
“Southern California Gas Co.’s decision to operate its inherently risky gas storage operation next to 30,000 residents of Porter Ranch without taking all reasonable steps necessary to prevent catastrophic gas leaks is unconscionable”, said the family’s attorney Scott Glovsky.
The District Attorney’s charges aren’t the only new legal battle the gas company’s going to be fighting. Attorney-General Kamala Harris said that the impact of this unprecedented natural gas leak was devastating not only to the state but also to the families and environment. Southern California Gas Co. said that it will defend itself in the court. The goal is to stop the leak by the end of February.
“Quite frankly, it’s not litigation overkill at all”, said Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander, who represents communities affected by the leak.
“At a very minimum, those practices should be mandatory immediately”, said Sherman, who is working on legislation that would require PHMSA to set safety standards for natural gas storage facilities.
The charges allege that the Southern California (SoCal) Gas Company violated health and safety laws by failing to report and contain leaking methane.
The city and county of Los Angeles have already filed suit against SoCalGas over the leak, which was discovered October 23.
State regulators are investigating the cause of the leak, but they said they won’t know until the well is plugged.
The charges could result in a fine of up to $25,000 for each day that the company didn’t notify state agencies of the leak, and an extra $1,000 a day for “pollution violations”.
Diagnosed with lung cancer in March, it wasn’t until November of a year ago, about a month after the leak began, Rothman says his mother’s health suddenly, quickly deteriorated.
“It does increase the pressure on the gas company because they are under fire from more government agencies now”, said Greg Keating, professor of law at the USC Gould School of Law.
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Brian Seligman holds a sign to protest a gas leak in the Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles before a meeting of the California Air Quality Management District in Granada Hills, California January 9, 2016.
