By Mike Harris Monday, January 5th, 2026

Verizon Wireless will pay $7.7 million to resolve a civil action involving environmental violations at hundreds of the company’s wireless telecommunication cell towers across Southern California, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced Jan. 5. 

“Verizon’s failure to comply with the law governing hazardous materials created avoidable risks,” Nasarenko said in a press release.

An investigation found consistent gaps in required reporting, employee training, and inspection access across hundreds of facilities, he said.

“These requirements exist to ensure that first responders, environmental regulators, and public safety officials have accurate information about hazardous materials stored at commercial sites in the event of an emergency,” Nasarenko said.

The case was filed by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. It was also brought by Nasarenko’s office and the district attorneys of Los Angeles, Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Beginning in January 2019, alleged violations occurred at numerous Verizon cell towers where hazardous materials and above ground petroleum storage tanks are used to power emergency generators and backup systems, Nasarenko said.

The civil complaint alleges that Verizon repeatedly failed to submit complete and accurate hazardous materials business plans to the California Environmental Reporting System.

Verizon also allegedly failed to maintain copies of the plans onsite as required and to provide adequate employee training for responding to hazardous material releases. 

Verizon further allegedly failed to allow inspections at multiple locations and to pay required permit fees that support local oversight of hazardous materials. 

Verizon was brought into compliance only after investigative agencies approached the company regarding its alleged violations, Nasarenko said. 

There was no evidence of environmental harm at the facilities, he said. 

Under the judgment, Verizon will pay $7.7 million in civil penalties, investigative costs, and $375,000 in supplemental environmental projects.

Within Ventura County, the District Attorney’s Office will receive $813,437 in penalties and $9,169 in costs. 

The Oxnard Certified Unified Program Agency will receive $261,761 in penalties and $3,000 in costs.

Ventura County Environmental Health will receive $53,613 in penalties. 

The judgment ensures accountability while strengthening transparency for first responders at thousands of cell towers and requires that Verizon maintain compliance going forward, Nasarenko said. 

Senior Deputy District Attorney Christopher Harman, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit, prosecuted the case for Ventura County.