A Buellton cannabis operation will pay $620,000 to settle an environmental protection lawsuit with Santa Barbara County agencies, the District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday.

Central Coast Agriculture Inc. agreed to pay $520,000 in civil penalties and $100,000 toward the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade to fund the Refugio Road Trail Restoration Project.

“The civil complaint alleges that CCA operated at least 16 100- to 500-kilowatt diesel generators to power refrigeration units storing frozen cannabis. At least one was used for primary power to a cannabis cultivation greenhouse,” the District Attorney’s Office said when reporting the settlement.

The lawsuit claimed that CCA operated the generators outside of the California Air Resources Board’s Portable Equipment Registration Program regulations. According to the regulations, generators cannot be used as a primary source of power and cannot be kept at one location for more than 12 months.

Half of the $520,000 penalty will go to the District Attorney’s Office to support enforcement of consumer and environmental protection laws. The other half will go to the Air Pollution Control District, according to the county.

“We are relieved that this case is now settled, and we appreciate the work of the District Attorney’s Office to get to this point,” said Aeron Arlin, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District. 

“APCD very rarely opts to forward cases to the District Attorney’s Office. These were serious violations of air quality rules that resulted in significant emissions of pollutants that affect human health. Pending approval by our board of directors, we look forward to putting a meaningful portion of our financial settlement toward a Clean Air Fund program for Buellton residents,” Arlin said.

CCA previously paid $1.3 million in fines to the APCD after it was found to have violated clean air laws by releasing gases that contribute to air pollution and affect the ozone.

In 2020 alone, the company was found to have released 135 tons of ozone precursor gases — more than twice the amount released by all of the gas stations in the county each year.

The odorless gases can trigger sore throats, shortness of breath, and coughing.