Pasadena Will Pay $550,000 to Settle Environmental Lawsuit

The City of Pasadena has conceded to pay $550,000 as settlement for an environmental lawsuit filed by California Clean Energy Committee in connection with the Glenarm Repowering Project.

The project replaces a 50-year-old steam generating unit with a more efficient 71-megawatt natural gas fueled turbine that will reportedly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 20 percent.

CCEC filed suit against the city in 2013 claiming that adding a natural gas turbine to the Glenarm Power Plant did not follow environmental laws.

In June, California’s Court of Appeal decided to reverse a trial court’s decision denying a challenge by CCEC to the city’s approval of the Glenarm project, saying the city had failed to conduct an adequate analysis of the impacts of supplying water to the project.

However, the court rejected claims that the analysis of climate and energy impacts was inadequate.

The city’s concession will mean the litigation will no longer further delay the Glenarm project, estimated to cost $132 million and expected to be completed by the summer of 2016.

CCEC intends to use the settlement money to fund a new study about reusing excess heat from the natural gas turbine in the new plant instead of releasing it into the air and contributing to rising temperatures.

The city, meanwhile, does not have to follow any recommendations that may come out of the study.

Speaking to the Pasadena Star News, City Attorney Michele Bagneris said “we’re not obligated to do anything further in that regard.”

“The EIR (environmental impact report) remains valid and the project continues to move forward,” Bagneris said.