California AG Reached Settlement with SoCalGas for Falsely Marketing Fossil Gas as Renewable

AUGUST 14, 2023

California Attorney General Rob Bonta reached a settlement with Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) over allegations that the company had made false marketing claims that fossil gas (commonly called natural gas) was “renewable” — despite the fact that the “vast majority” of gas distributed by the company is derived from fossil fuels and thus, not renewable. The AG’s investigation found that these false marketing claims had been spread widely, through mediums including print, digital marketing, and promotional swag. The settlement, which was subject to court approval at the time of the announcement, required SoCalGas to pay $175,000 in penalties (half of which will go towards funding environmental justice projects) and publish a corrective statement on its website. The company was also prohibited from making similar unqualified claims in the future. “SoCalGas should have known better than to broadcast unqualified claims suggesting that all natural gas is ‘renewable.’ Truth in marketing matters, and it’s required under state law,” AG Bonta said in a statement.

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