AT&T settles environmental hazmat lawsuit. Fresno DA office gets share of $5.9 million

AT&T has settled an environmental protection case that will cost the company $5.9 million.

It is one of the largest such settlements California has seen for this type of environmental violation and will bring nearly $1 million to Fresno County, according to a statement from the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

“Ensuring the safety of the public as well as the environment they live in by holding large companies accountable for their conduct is an important goal of this office,” DA Lisa Smittcamp said.

Fresno was part of a statewide coalition that included the district attorneys of Santa Cruz, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Bernardino counties, and the city attorney of Los Angeles.

At question was whether the telecommunications company provided Hazardous Materials Business Plans, as required by the State of California. These plans are mandated for businesses that deal in large amounts of hazardous materials.

The suit was concerned about backup power batteries that AT&T uses at its facilities. There are more than 3,200 in the state, for which the company failed to “establish, implement, or submit an HMBP,” the statement said.

AT&T had begun self-reporting these violations to the California Environmental Protection Agency and started the process of coming into compliance with state law.

Per the settlement, the Fresno County DA’s Office will receive $613,479.16, with the Environment Health Division of the county’s Community Health Department receiving $110,625. Another $250,000 will be given to the CUPA Forum Environmental Protection Trust Fund as part of its Supplemental Environmental Project, the statement said.

This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 9:35 AM.