State agency orders SoCalGas to hit pause on Ventura gas compressor

Wes Woods II
Ventura County Star
A Southern California Gas Company gas compressor site located at 1555 N. Olive St. in Ventura is listed on the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control as a voluntary cleanup site.

The California Public Utilities Commission hit pause on upgrades at a Ventura gas compressor site until the owner met the agency's demands.

The order was issued to site owner Southern California Gas Company in a Aug. 20 letter by the commission's Executive Director Rachel Peterson. It was the second order this month by the state agency to halt facility improvements.

"While SoCalGas is performing more detailed feasibility analysis of alternative sites and configurations, the CPUC requests that SoCalGas halt further planning and procurement for the Ventura Compressor Station modernization project," according to the letter written to the gas company's Chief Executive Officer Scott Drury.

Peterson's letter requests SoCalGas complete its additional review and hold a public forum before continuing.

Tomás Rebecchi, Central Coast organizing manager for the national nonprofit Food & Water Action, said the utility commission's action was important one. 

"It's a huge victory for us," said Rebecchi, who is among the opponents to the project. "It's showing we’re getting attention and momentum is in our favor but it's just too premature to celebrate anything at this point." 

The gas company wants to replace three gas compressors built in the 1980s with four new ones with more horsepower at the 1555 North Olive St. site. The company also wants to build a new warehouse and office building for the facility, which has been in operation since 1923. An existing office building and warehouse are scheduled to be demolished.

In 2019, the California Public Utilities Commission approved the plan for the facility.

Neighbors, environmentalists and public officials have concerns about this project due to air quality, public safety and other impacts.

As community opposition intensified, the utilities commission sent an Aug. 5 letter asking the gas company to fully explain to the community its plans for the project and reasons for rejecting project alternatives as well as host a public forum addressing an analysis of other options considered for the compressor station upgrade.

SoCalGas sent a detailed response, stating that the utility had not conducted an assessment of logistical requirements and costs for a potential relocation of the Ventura station to a different site.

Rebecchi said he read the CPUC response as, "'Hey, whatever you sent us was not enough. This isn’t what we're asking for. We want a complete report like you guys promised in your response." 

Marissa Girolamo, a spokeswoman for SoCalGas, said both letters requested the gas company to stop all planning and work at the compressor station.

"We are not moving forward with purchasing any new compressor station equipment until we complete the items provided by the CPUC," Girolamo said. "Regarding the public meetings, we are planning a series of public forums and hope to have those dates picked out by the end of next week." 

Due to its proximity to an elementary school and homes, environmentalists say this project has potential to cause harm. In 2017, the facility was cited in a NASA study as a "super emitter" of methane. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas. The study prompted the gas company to fix the methane leak. 

On Saturday, a group of state agencies were part of a community meeting to address the gas compressor

Peterson, the commission's executive director, said during the virtual meeting they had instructed SoCalGas to halt their planning and procurement work "because we've heard from the community in recent weeks." 

Ventura Unified School District Superintendent Roger Rice was among the speakers who opposed the compressor.

"I think you're hearing a community that is feeling angry, frustrated, disenfranchised and scared at times," Rice said.

He pointed out how close the gas compressor was to E.P. Foster Elementary School and the Boys & Girls Club.

"From my perspective, relocating the facility is the only acceptable solution, and it's the right thing to do for our community," Rice said Saturday. 

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or https://twitter.com/JournoWes