Southern California Gas Co. representatives appeared in the Santa Clarita Superior Court Wednesday to enter not-guilty pleas to criminal charges stemming from the Aliso Canyon gas leak in Porter Ranch.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey had filed criminal charges against SoCalGas for failing to report the gas leak immediately to the proper state authorities.
The company faces four misdemeanor counts: three counts of failing to report the release of hazardous materials from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, 2015, and one count of discharging air contaminants beginning Oct. 23.
“While we recognize that neither the criminal charges nor the civil lawsuits will offer the residents of Los Angeles County a complete solution, it is important that Southern California Gas Co. be held responsible for its criminal actions,” Lacey said in a prior statement.
If convicted, the company could be fined up to $25,000 a day for each for the four days it allegedly failed to notify state authorities, plus up to $1,000 per day for air pollution violations.
The lawyers are due back in court April 19.
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