One more positive step for Great Basin

Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District issued a press release recently regarding the Kern County Superior Court denial of a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power request to dismiss the lawsuit filed against it by the State for repeated violations of orders issued by both the Court and District. Air Pollution Control Officer Ted Schade explained that the ruling was one more positive step for Great Basin and other agencies currently embroiled in legal battles with the LADWP.

“The GBUAPCD assesses DWP’s fees each year in a hearing,” Schade said. In the most recent assessment, DWP was refusing to pay legal fees assessed by the District of approximately $1 million. Great Basin sued DWP for the fees and on Jan. 24, the Kern County Superior Court told DWP that it needed to pay the fees.

Still on the table is whether or not DWP will be held accountable for the penalties that accrued during the time it was refusing to pay the $1 million. According to Schade, these fees add up to nearly $8 million.

“The court did say that DWP is subject to penalties,” Schade said. A trial has been set for October to determine if and how much DWP will have to pay in penalties.

Schade also added that in terms of the federal lawsuit that DWP filed against Great Basin and four other agencies, the agencies would be meeting in federal court on Feb. 25. Schade said the agencies would be asking the court to dismiss this lawsuit.