November 24th, 2006

Federal charges that were filed against the San Diego Gas and Electric Company along with three workers have been dismissed by a judge. The charges that had been filed alleged that asbestos removal that had been carried out six years ago at a site in Lemon Grove had violated safety standards.

The charges against the company and the workers were dismissed earlier this week by US District Court Judge Dana Sabraw, who stated that proper testing had not been carried out at the site following the alleged violations, and therefore the levels of asbestos following the removal could not be properly determined.

The prosecuting attorney in the case has stated that she does not agree with the judge’s decision and according to reports she is planning to appeal. Had the charges not been dismissed reports claim that for each of the five charges the three workers would have each faced fines of up to a quarter of a million dollars, as well as up to five years in prison.

According to the allegations made by prosecutors the workers had told authorities that asbestos coated pipes at the site on which they were working were not hazardous, and that they said this in order to save time and money.