City Still Undecided Over Appeal of Fine

In a closed-door session Tuesday, the City Council remained undecided whether to appeal a $2.3-million fine issued by state water regulators a day earlier.

The multimillion-dollar penalty was the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board’s response to an 86-million-gallon sewer spill that occurred during an intense February storm.

Saying the city should have replaced the vulnerable pipeline earlier, the regional board held the city liable for the spill.

The city has 30 days to decide whether to appeal the regional board’s decision to the appointed, five-member state Water Resources Control Board.

Another closed session to discuss the matter has not yet been scheduled.

If the city proceeds with the appeal, the state board could choose not to hear it.

If a hearing were conducted, state board members could choose to raise, lower or keep intact the regional board’s penalty.

After Tuesday’s closed session, City Councilwoman Elois Zeanah said she would oppose an appeal to the state board because it would increase the city’s legal fees and could ultimately result in a higher fine.

The city has already allocated $675,000 for legal fees associated with the state and federal investigations into the sewer spill.