Last Update: March 2025

** Public Scoping is underway, and comments will be accepted until April 30, 2025. Please see below for information on scoping meetings and how to provide public comments. **

Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the environmental review and monitoring of Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)'s Ventura Compressor Station Modernization Project (the Proposed Project). The CPUC is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Proposed Project and is therefore responsible for evaluating the Proposed Project’s potential environmental impacts.

CPUC Review Process

Following receipt of a complete application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), the CPUC conducts two parallel processes when considering development proposed by a regulated utility: an application process, in which the CPUC reviews the utility’s proposal and considers whether the project is needed and is in the public interest; and an environmental review process pursuant to CEQA. The CPCN application process focuses on utility ratepayer and public benefit issues and is undertaken by the CPUC’s Administrative Law Judges Division. The CEQA process for utility applications is led by the CPUC’s Energy Division. The CPUC will use the CEQA document in conjunction with other information prepared for the CPUC’s formal record to act on SoCalGas’s application.

Click here for more information about the CPUC’s decision and review process for natural gas infrastructure.

Click here for information and documents associated with the CPUC’s Proceeding for the project.

Project Overview

The Proposed Project would modernize the Ventura Compressor Station, located at 1555 North Olive Street in the City of Ventura. The scope of the Proposed Project includes:

(1) replacing three existing 1,100 horsepower (HP) natural-gas-driven compressors (natural gas compressors) with two new 1,900 HP natural gas compressors, equipped with state-of-the art emission control technology to meet Best Available Control Technology (BACT) standards, and two new 2,500 nominal HP (estimated horsepower), electric-motor-driven compressors (electric compressors), with zero nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, resulting in a “hybrid” compressor station;

(2) erecting a new 10,458-square-foot compressor building;

(3) erecting a new 4,641-square-foot permanent office building;

(4) erecting a new 5,459-square-foot warehouse;

(5) installing a new 8-foot-tall perimeter block wall to replace the existing west and south chain-link fence/block wall; and

(6) implementing other ancillary site improvements, such as piping interconnection and storage tanks.

The existing compressor equipment and temporary office facilities would be decommissioned approximately one year after the new facility has become fully operational.

Proponent's Environmental Assessment

A Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA) was submitted by SoCalGas concurrently with the application (A.23-08-019), dated August 24, 2023.

CPUC Staff Review of PEA

CPUC General Order (GO) 177 for Gas Infrastructure requires the CPUC Energy Division CEQA Unit Staff to determine if the PEA meets the requirements of GO 177, which are defined in the CPUC’s 2019 Guidelines for Energy Project Applications Requiring CEQA Compliance: Pre-filing and Proponent’s Environmental Assessments, including a PEA Checklist. CEQA Unit Staff and contractor, Aspen Environmental Group reviewed the PEA and identified deficiencies in two reports. If necessary, the CPUC will issue additional data requests and post them here.

The CPUC Energy Division CEQA staff found the PEA to be complete on October 30, 2024.

Project Scoping

The CPUC released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an EIR for the Project to solicit agency and public input on the scope of the EIR. The typical 30-day scoping period, beginning February 28, 2025, is now extended to close on April 30, 2025. All interested parties, including responsible and trustee agencies, groups, and the public, are invited to provide input on the scope and content of the EIR.

The CPUC held one virtual public scoping meeting on March 11, 2025. Additionally, one in-person meeting will occur on April 15, 2025.

The CPUC’s CEQA scoping comment period ends on April 30, 2025. During the comment period you may submit comments on the scope and content of the document verbally at the public meetings noted above or by electronic mail to  vcm_ceqa@aspeneg.com.

The CPUC Project Manager for the CEQA review process is:

Comments & Questions

To comment on the environmental review or to be added to the mailing list for future environmental documents and notices, please contact us at: