Western Area Power Administration – Sierra Nevada Region Settlement
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Western Area Power Administration – Sierra Nevada Region Settles For $109,540
In September 2024, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) reached a settlement with Western Area Power Administration – Sierra Nevada Region (WAPA), a subsidiary of the Department of Energy, with its regional business office in Folsom, California, for the company’s violation of the Regulation for Reducing Sulfur Hexafluoride Emissions from Gas Insulated Switchgear (SF6 GIS Regulation), as codified in the California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 95350 et seq.
An investigation conducted by CARB staff showed that WAPA failed to meet the applicable reporting requirements for Reporting Year 2021, as well as the applicable emission limits for Reporting Years 2020 and 2021. CARB documented the violations under the SF6 GIS Regulation. To settle the case, WAPA agreed to an average penalty of approximately $1,336 per day for 82 days of violation, resulting in a total settlement amount of $109,540. This total amount will be deposited into CARB’s Air Pollution Control Fund, which provides funding for projects and research to improve California’s air quality.
Terms of the settlement also include a requirement for WAPA to comply with all other CARB regulations going forward. WAPA Sierra Nevada Region worked cooperatively with CARB staff to quickly resolve this matter. Further, they have had no prior compliance issues, and implemented additional measures to reduce the potential of any future violations.