The Southern California Gas Co. was sentenced per the terms of its plea deal Tuesday, despite residents’ efforts to have the deal thrown out so victims could claim additional damages.

The Southern California Gas Company was ordered to pay a $4 million settlement, the maximum allowed by state law, as well as adopting safety measures beyond those required by federal and state laws at its Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility, officials said.

Prosecutors with the District Attorney’s Office argued the court should uphold the agreed-upon settlement Tuesday, noting the defendant, SoCal Gas, agreed to safety measure above and beyond what’s called for by the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources.

In addition to a state-of-the-art methane detection system, there will be a crew of six people monitoring the detection system 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to the company.

“Our office has helped bring the Aliso Canyon facility into compliance, keeping in mind that public safety is of the upmost importance,” she said. “Going forward the protections put in place by this agreement create a safer facility for its employees, the environment and the surrounding communities.”  

For the victims who showed up in court Tuesday, the punishment was too little, too late, and they’d asked the judge to set aside the agreement to allow additional area residents to sue.

The company pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of failing to immediately report the Oct. 23, 2015, gas leak to the California Office of Emergency Services and to the local Certified Unified Program Agency. Pursuant to the plea, SoCal Gas will be ordered to pay $307,500 which includes the maximum fine of $75,000 plus a penalty assessment of $232,500.

With this conviction, the company is on notice and could face a more serious criminal penalty in the future if the same unlawful conduct occurs.

As part of the agreement, the company will be required to install and maintain a new, infrared methane monitoring system at the Aliso Canyon site that will cost between $1.2 and $1.5 million. Real-time pressure monitors also will be placed at each gas well as required by the state. The settlement requires that an outside company be retained to test and certify that both systems are working properly.

Pursuant to the agreement, six full-time employees will be hired to operate and maintain the new leak detection systems 24 hours a day. The total cost for these positions will be approximately $2.25 million for the next three years.