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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

PG&E Blamed for Toxic Pollution, Again

SAN BERNARDINO (CN) - A landowner claims in court that Pacific Gas & Electric Co. lied that there was no hexavalent chromium on her property, and stalled on orders to clean up the very carcinogen and city made famous by the movie "Erin Brockovich."

Rosemary Munoz, Trustee of Munoz Family Trust, sued Pacific Gas & Electric and PG&E Corp., in Superior Court.

Munoz claims the chromium migrated onto her 47 acres in Hinkley through the water supply.

It's the same contaminant in the same town featured in the movie "Erin Brockovich," starring Julia Roberts, based on a paralegal environmental activist of the same name.

Brockovich fought a David and Goliath battle against PG&E over chromium contamination while she was a researcher at the Masry & Vititoe law firm.

Hexavalent chromium can cause cancer of the lungs, kidneys and intestine.

In her complaint, Munoz says PG&E was ordered to "reduce or eliminate exposure of the public to high, unsafe, undesirable, or unhealthful levels of chromium 6" but failed to do so "in either a timely or satisfactory manner."

"(D)espite the migration of chromium 6 onto the property, defendants, or each of them, have repeatedly assured plaintiff that they have no reason to believe that chromium 6 has entered the water supply on the property that exceeds levels set forth by the LRWQCB [Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board] that are unhealthful, that are undesirable," the states.

"Indeed, defendants, or each of them, have gone to the extent of assuring plaintiff in writing within the last two years that the property is not contaminated, even though such representation was inaccurate, and was knowingly inaccurate when made."

Munoz claims PG&E lied to her to induce her to sell the property.

The complaint does not state whether PG&E was the prospective buyer.

Monoz seeks damages for trespass, nuisance, negligence, lost income, lost profits and medical expenses.

She is represented by Abraham Tang of Orange.

A spokesperson for PG&E could not immediately be reached for comment.

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