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SoCalGas Settles
SoCal Gas Community Service Office in Porter Ranch. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)
Topline:
Southern California Gas Company will pay a $175,000 fine for a 2019 advertising campaign in which it falsely claimed its methane gas is renewable.
Why it matters: The majority of SoCalGas' methane gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, is derived from fossil fuels, which are not renewable. Methane is the second-largest contributor to climate change in California after carbon dioxide.
What SoCalGas says: “We are pleased to have cooperatively resolved this matter," spokesperson Chris Gilbride said in a statement to LAist. "SoCalGas remains committed to delivering increasingly renewable natural gas and other clean fuels to its customers. This is part of our aim to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations and delivery of energy by 2045.”
What environmentalists say: “It’s a way for them to try to suggest they’re a part of this climate culture, when in fact they actively work to undermine it by trying to stop policies that would encourage adoption of clean electric technologies,” said Matt Vespa, a senior attorney at Earthjustice.
What's next: Half of the $175,000 fine will go toward the California Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. SoCalGas will no longer be able to claim that methane gas is renewable and must post a statement on its website correcting the error within two weeks.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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