By Redacción
Redaccion@latinocc.com
Verizon Wireless has agreed to pay $7.7 million to resolve a statewide civil enforcement action related to environmental violations at hundreds of its wireless telecommunications facilities across Southern California, authorities announced.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said the settlement addresses years of noncompliance involving hazardous materials management at Verizon-owned cell towers used to power emergency generators and backup systems. The case was brought by multiple county prosecutors and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and filed in Orange County Superior Court.
Investigators found widespread failures to comply with California laws governing hazardous materials, including incomplete reporting, inadequate employee training and limited access for inspections. While officials said there was no evidence of environmental damage, they emphasized that the violations created avoidable risks for first responders and the public.
Hazardous materials and reporting failures
According to the civil complaint, violations began as early as January 2019 at numerous Verizon cell tower sites throughout Southern California. These facilities store and use hazardous materials such as lead-acid batteries and petroleum products, which are regulated under California’s hazardous materials and aboveground petroleum storage laws.
Prosecutors alleged that Verizon repeatedly failed to submit complete and accurate Hazardous Materials Business Plans to the California Environmental Reporting System. In several cases, the company did not maintain required copies of these plans onsite, making it more difficult for emergency responders and environmental regulators to quickly access critical safety information during an incident.
The investigation also found that Verizon failed to provide adequate employee training related to hazardous material handling and emergency response procedures. In addition, the company allegedly denied inspectors access to multiple locations and did not pay required permit fees that fund local oversight and enforcement.
“Verizon’s failure to comply with the law governing hazardous materials created avoidable risks,” Nasarenko said in a statement. “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.”
Enforcement action and compliance measures
The settlement requires Verizon to remain in full compliance with California environmental and hazardous materials laws moving forward. Authorities said the company was brought into compliance only after investigative agencies initiated enforcement actions and raised concerns about its practices.
While prosecutors confirmed that no environmental harm was identified at the affected facilities, they stressed that compliance is critical due to the volume and geographic spread of the cell towers involved. The judgment aims to strengthen transparency and accountability at thousands of telecommunications sites across the state.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Christopher Harman of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit prosecuted the case on behalf of Ventura County. The enforcement effort was coordinated among district attorneys from Ventura, Los Angeles, Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, along with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
Officials said the case underscores California’s strict regulatory framework for hazardous materials and the expectation that large corporations operating critical infrastructure comply fully with environmental safety standards.
Distribution of settlement funds
Under the judgment, Verizon will pay a total of $7.7 million, which includes $7,125,000 in civil penalties, $200,000 in investigative costs and $375,000 allocated to Supplemental Environmental Projects, known as SEPs. These projects are designed to provide environmental benefits beyond what is required by law.
Within Ventura County, the District Attorney’s Office will receive $813,437.50 in penalties and $9,169.50 in costs. The Oxnard Certified Unified Program Agency will receive $261,761.25 in penalties and $3,000 in costs, while Ventura County Environmental Health will receive $53,613.75 in penalties.
Authorities said the financial penalties reflect the scope and duration of the violations and are intended to deter future noncompliance by Verizon and other companies operating hazardous-material facilities throughout the state.
