LOS ANGELES – (INT) – Legal troubles are mounting for Southern California Gas Company over the on-going leak of methane gas from its Aliso Canyon storage facility at Porter Ranch.

Kamala Harris said Tuesday she is filing a lawsuit in her independent capacity as California Attorney General.

The lawsuit alleges that Southern California Gas Company violated state health and safety laws by failing to promptly control the release of the natural gas and report the leak to authorities. In addition, the lawsuit cites the environmental threat the uncontrolled release of more than 80,000 metric tons of methane into the atmosphere poses to California’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions.

The natural gas leak has caused a public health and statewide environmental emergency, which has sickened residents of Porter Ranch and forced them to move.

Story Date: February 7, 2016