Verizon Wireless required to pay $7.7 million to settle alleged environmental violations at hundreds of Southern California cell towers
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Verizon Wireless will have to pay $7.7 million to resolve a statewide civil suit that alleged environmental violations at hundreds of the telecommunications company's cell towers across Southern California.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, violations at numerous Verizon cell towers concerning hazardous materials and above ground petroleum storage tanks used to power emergency generators and backup systems were reported beginning in January of 2019.
California law requires that the storage of hazardous materials including lead acid batteries and petroleum products at cell towers needed to be properly reported to regulators noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
"Verizon’s failure to comply with the law governing hazardous materials created avoidable risks,"
said Ventura County District Attorney Nasarenko. "The investigation found consistent gaps in required reporting, employee training, and inspection access across hundreds of facilities. These requirements exist to ensure that first responders, environmental regulators, and public safety officials have accurate
information about hazardous materials stored at commercial sites in the event of an emergency."
Under the judgement, Cellco Partnership, which does business as Verizon Wireless, will be required to pay a total of $7.7 million including $7,125,000 in civil penalties, $200,000 in investigative costs, and $375,000 in Supplemental Environmental Projects detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Of the total settlement, the local District Attorney's Office shared that it would receive $813,437.50 in penalties and $9,169.50, the Oxnard Certified Unified Program Agency which regulates hazardous materials and waste management programs will receive $261,761.25 in penalties and $3,000 in costs, and Ventura County Environmental Health will receive $53,613.75 in penalties.
The complaint -brought forward by District Attorneys of Ventura, Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego counties alongside the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office- alleged that Verizon repeatedly failed to submit accurate Hazardous Materials Business Plans to the California Environmental Reporting system, failed to keep copies of those plans onsite, and did not provide adequate training to employees who would respond to a hazardous materials release explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Additionally, Verizon refused to allow inspections at multiple cell towers and did not pay required permit fees to local regulators noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
There was no evidence of environmental harm at the cell towers despite the non-compliance added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
"Verizon Wireless is the largest provider of mobile telephone services in the United States," explained the Orange County District Attorney's Office Monday. "The company owns and operates thousands of cell sites throughout the state where hazardous materials and above ground petroleum storage tanks are used to power emergency generators and backup systems. These materials can potentially cause fires and explosions, release toxic chemical air contaminants, and are potentially corrosive. For these reasons, items stored at these locations above a threshold quantity are classified as hazardous and require permits along with detailed reporting and proper hazardous materials management under California law."
