Southern California Edison recently reached a settlement to pay the federal government a bit more than $39,000 for improper storage of hazardous waste on Catalina. According to a statement announcing the settlement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that SCE has since corrected all of issues that led to the penalty.
Southern California Edison recently reached a settlement to pay the federal government a bit more than $39,000 for improper storage of hazardous waste on Catalina. According to a statement announcing the settlement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that SCE has since corrected all of issues that led to the penalty.
Edison will pay the fine for its handling of waste from its electricity operation. The gas and water operations were not involved. The penalty was the result of a surprise site inspection of Edison’s electricity plant in September 2015. According to the EPA, the electric company had been storing hazardous waste for more than 90 days and other waste for more than a year without the proper permits. The EPA also determined that the Edison employees who were conducting weekly inspections had not been properly trained. “In a place as biologically unique as Catalina Island, large quantity generators of hazardous waste like SCE have a special responsibility to run a tight ship,” said Kathleen Johnson, EPA’s Enforcement Division director for the Pacific Southwest. “The key to preventing an unintended hazardous release is vigilance.”
According to the utility company, “SCE takes great care to handle and dispose of all waste materials properly, safely and in compliance with all environmental laws, while providing electric, water and gas service to the people and visitors of Catalina Island.
“The company takes very seriously any possible violation of environmental regulations and worked immediately with the EPA to correct the issues identified in the storage and disposal of waste from island operations.
