Gas company to be arraigned over Los Angeles area methane leak

Source: Reuters

World | Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:55am EST

Gas company to be arraigned over Los Angeles area methane leak

Southern California Gas Co is to be arraigned on criminal charges on Wednesday over a huge methane leak near a Los Angeles neighborhood that forced thousands of residents from their homes, officials said.

SoCalGas, a division of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, faces four misdemeanor charges for failing to report the release of hazardous materials from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, and discharging air contaminants beginning on Oct. 23.

Attorneys for SoCalGas will attend Wednesday's arraignment in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Clarita, said county District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison.

If convicted, the company could be fined up to $25,000 a day for each day that it failed to report the gas leak to the California Office of Emergency Services, Robinson said. The company also could be fined up to $1,000 per day for air pollution violations, she said.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-methane-idUSKCN0VQ24Y