Washington, D.C. July 28, 2025 – The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today commended the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for taking enforcement action against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for failing to comply with the CSB’s Accidental Release Reporting Rule—a critical requirement under Section 112(r) of the federal Clean Air Act. The action follows a serious natural gas release on June 8, 2023, in San Jose, California, that seriously injured a PG&E employee.
Under the Reporting Rule, owners and operators of facilities that experience an accidental release resulting in a fatality, serious injury, or substantial property damage must report the incident to the CSB. The Clean Air Act gives EPA the authority to enforce a failure to report an accidental release to the CSB under the rule.
Despite being advised by the CSB that the company was required to report the release, PG&E failed to submit a report to the CSB following the June 2023 incident. As provided by the Clean Air Act, the CSB referred the matter to EPA for enforcement.
“This matter underscores the importance of timely and accurate reporting to the CSB,” said CSB Chairperson Steve Owens. “When companies fail to report serious chemical releases like this, they impede the CSB’s ability to carry out the agency’s core mission to conduct independent investigations of these incidents and help prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.”
“Americans have a right to know about accidental releases of dangerous substances and their impacts,” said Deputy Assistant Administrator Cecil Rodrigues for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement clearly signals that EPA will hold companies accountable for not providing CSB with essential information and the potential for loss of life, injury, or property damage.”
This settlement marks the first-ever enforcement action resolved under the CSB’s Accidental Release Reporting Rule. As part of the resolution, PG&E will pay a civil penalty of $45,273 and was required to submit the required report to the CSB earlier this year.
This action further strengthens the collaboration between the CSB and EPA in the shared goal of reducing the frequency and severity of chemical accidents across the United States. “The CSB greatly appreciates EPA’s efforts in successfully resolving this matter,” Chairperson Owens said. “Most companies willingly comply with the reporting requirement, but, unfortunately, enforcement was necessary in this case.”
For more information on the CSB’s Accidental Release Reporting Rule, please visit: Incident Reporting Rule Submission Information and Data - Incident Reporting Rule | CSB
The agency's board members are appointed by the president subject to Senate confirmation. The Board does not issue citations or fines but makes safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA.
Please visit our website, www.csb.gov. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen at [email protected].