Latest news with #SouthernCaliforniaEdison
Epoch Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
California Utility Agrees to Pay $82.5 Million to Settle Claims From 2020 Fire
LOS ANGELES—Southern California Edison has reached a record $82.5 million settlement with the United States to resolve claims stemming from the 2020 Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. The U.S. government sued SoCal Edison in September 2023, alleging in Los Angeles federal court that the Bobcat Fire—one of the largest wildfires ever in Los Angeles County—was caused by the failure of the utility and its tree maintenance contractor to properly maintain trees that came into contact with power lines and caused the blaze. The Bobcat Fire ignited in September 2020 and scorched more than 114,000 acres—nearly 175 square miles—of which nearly 100,000 acres were in the Angeles National Forest. 'This record settlement against Southern California Edison provides meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands,' U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. 'My office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery for suppression costs and environmental damages from any entity that causes harm to the public's forests and other precious national resources.' The utility agreed to pay the settlement without admitting wrongdoing or fault. SoCal Edison spokeswoman Gabriela Ornelas said public safety remains a company priority. Related Stories 3/6/2025 2/27/2024 'Our hearts are with the people who were affected by the Bobcat Fire,' she told City News Service. 'We are pleased to have resolved this matter and will continue to advance wildfire mitigation measures to further enhance public safety and resiliency.' The U.S. filed suit on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service against SoCal Edison and Utility Tree Service to recover costs incurred fighting the wildfire and for the extensive damages caused to the forest. The wildfire started on Sept. 6, 2020, and resulted in more than three times the acreage damage caused by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires combined. The fire caused years of closure of more than 100 miles of trails and numerous campgrounds. It also had a detrimental impact on habitats and wildlife, including to the federally endangered wildlife-mountain yellow-legged frog, federally threatened fish and birds, and irreplaceable cultural and heritage resources, according to the DOJ. The settlement is considered the largest-ever wildfire cost recovery by the U.S. in the region. According to the complaint, the Forest Service sustained fire suppression costs in excess of $56 million, and it incurred property and natural resource damages of more than $65 million. 'Forest Service investigators determined that the Bobcat Fire ignited due to a tree in contact with power lines (conductors) owned and operated by SCE and maintained by SCE and UTS,' the lawsuit states. 'The contact resulted in ignition of vegetation on a branch, which fell to the ground and spread.' The wildfire destroyed 171 structures and 178 vehicles, damaged 47 structures, and resulted in the widespread evacuation of residences. It took weeks to put the fire out. In 2021, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services announced the approval of more than $50,000 in reimbursements to help cover damages to Arcadia and Monrovia caused by the fire. The funding helped cover the costs of engineering and constructing a parking lot at the entrance of Canyon Park in Monrovia, and the costs of labor and equipment to clear vegetative debris from Wilderness Park in Arcadia, according to a Cal OES statement. SoCal Edison agreed to pay the $82.5 million settlement by July 14. 'We are grateful to receive these settlement funds, which mark an important step toward recovery and restoration,' said Deputy Forest Supervisor Tony Martinez of the Angeles National Forest. 'These resources will help us rehabilitate burned areas, restore wildlife habitats, and strengthen our forests' resilience to future wildfires.'
eNCA
24-05-2025
- eNCA
US power company to pay $82.5m for California wildfire
LOS ANGELES - One of California's largest utilities is to pay the US Forest Service $82.5-million for a wildfire that burned tens of thousands of acres (hectares) of woodland. The 2020 Bobcat Fire destroyed dozens of buildings as it tore through the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. The US government said Southern California Edison had not properly controlled vegetation near its power lines and the blaze erupted when trees touched a live wire. A 2023 lawsuit claimed damages from the company for the cost of fighting the fire on Forest Service land as well as for remediation of damage caused to campgrounds, trails and wildlife habitats. "This record settlement against Southern California Edison provides meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands," said US Attorney Bill Essayli. "My office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery for suppression costs and environmental damages from any entity that causes harm to the public's forests and other precious national resources." Southern California Edison is no stranger to paying out large sums of money for wildfires where its equipment was suspected to have been at fault. The company handed over more than $2.7-billion in settlements over the 2017 Thomas Fire that tore through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, killing two people and destroying hundreds of buildings. It paid $2.2-billion for the 2018 Woolsey Fire that burned through Los Angeles and Ventura counties, killing three people and damaging more than 1,600 buildings. Investigators probing the deadly Eaton Fire, one of two blazes that ripped through Los Angeles at the start of this year, are homing in on SCE transmission lines as a possible source of ignition.
NDTV
24-05-2025
- NDTV
US Power Company To Pay $82.5 Million For California Wildfire
One of California's largest utilities is to pay the US Forest Service $82.5 million for a wildfire that burned tens of thousands of acres (hectares) of woodland, the government said Friday. The 2020 Bobcat Fire destroyed dozens of buildings as it tore through the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. The US government said Southern California Edison had not properly controlled vegetation near its power lines and the blaze erupted when trees touched a live wire. A 2023 lawsuit claimed damages from the company for the cost of fighting the fire on Forest Service land as well as for remediation of damage caused to campgrounds, trails and wildlife habitats. "This record settlement against Southern California Edison provides meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands," said US Attorney Bill Essayli. "My office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery for suppression costs and environmental damages from any entity that causes harm to the public's forests and other precious national resources." Southern California Edison is no stranger to paying out large sums of money for wildfires where its equipment was suspected to have been at fault. The company handed over more that $2.7 billion in settlements over the 2017 Thomas Fire that tore through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, killing two people and destroying hundreds of buildings. It paid $2.2 billion for the 2018 Woolsey Fire that burned through Los Angeles and Ventura counties, killing three people and damaging more than 1,600 buildings. Investigators probing the deadly Eaton Fire, one of two blazes that ripped through Los Angeles at the start of this year, are homing on in SCE transmission lines as a possible source of ignition.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SoCal Edison Agrees to Staggering $82.5 Million Settlement Connected to Bobcat Fire
Southern California Edison has agreed to a staggering $82.5 million settlement – the largest-ever wildfire cost recovery obtained in a civil suit – for its culpability in the 2020 Bobcat Fire that tore through 175 miles of the Angeles National Forest, the Justice Department announced Bobcat Fire ignited in September 2020 and leveled nearly 100,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest.'This record settlement against Southern California Edison provides meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands,' said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. 'My office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery for suppression costs and environmental damages from any entity that causes harm to the public's forests and other precious national resources.' The U.S. sued SoCal Edison in September 2023 on behalf of the Forest Service to recover costs incurred fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the extensive damages that it caused to the Angeles National Forest. The government says the Bobcat Fire ignited when trees that were not properly maintained by SCE, when its tree maintenance contractor came into contact with power lines, it started a massive wildfire that destroyed public lands and led to years-long closures of "more than 100 miles of trails and numerous campgrounds," the government says. "It also had a detrimental impact on habitats and wildlife, including to the federally endangered wildlife-mountain yellow-legged frog, federally threatened fish and birds, and irreplaceable cultural and heritage resources."SCE agreed to pay the $82.5 million settlement within 60 days of the effective date of the settlement agreement, which was May 14, without admitting wrongdoing or fault.'We are grateful to receive these settlement funds, which mark an important step toward recovery and restoration,' said Deputy Forest Supervisor Tony Martinez of the Angeles National Forest. 'These resources will help us rehabilitate burned areas, restore wildlife habitats, and strengthen our forests' resilience to future wildfires.'
Free Malaysia Today
24-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Power company to pay US$82.5mil for California wildfire
The Bobcat Fire burned tens of thousands of acres of woodland north of Los Angeles. (EPA Images pic) LOS ANGELES : One of California's largest utilities is to pay the US forest service US$82.5 million for a wildfire that burned tens of thousands of acres of woodland, the government said today. The 2020 Bobcat Fire destroyed dozens of buildings as it tore through the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. The US government said Southern California Edison had not properly controlled vegetation near its power lines and the blaze erupted when trees touched a live wire. A 2023 lawsuit claimed damages from the company for the cost of fighting the fire on forest service land as well as for remediation of damage caused to campgrounds, trails and wildlife habitats. 'This record settlement against Southern California Edison provides meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands,' said US attorney Bill Essayli. 'My office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery for suppression costs and environmental damages from any entity that causes harm to the public's forests and other precious national resources.' Southern California Edison is no stranger to paying out large sums of money for wildfires where its equipment was suspected to have been at fault. The company handed over more than US$2.7 billion in settlements over the 2017 Thomas Fire that tore through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, killing two people and destroying hundreds of buildings. It paid US$2.2 billion for the 2018 Woolsey Fire that burned through Los Angeles and Ventura counties, killing three people and damaging more than 1,600 buildings. Investigators probing the deadly Eaton Fire, one of two blazes that ripped through Los Angeles at the start of this year, are homing on in SCE transmission lines as a possible source of ignition.
