5 Shocking Ways The Erin Brockovich Vs. PG&E Fight Is Still Raging In 2025

The legendary legal battle between Erin Brockovich and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is far from a closed chapter. Decades after the historic $333 million settlement that made headlines and inspired an Academy Award-winning film, the environmental crisis in Hinkley, California, continues to haunt the region, and Brockovich herself has launched new, high-stakes challenges against the utility giant and other corporate polluters. As of late 2024 and into 2025, the cleanup effort remains severely incomplete, and Brockovich is leveraging her platform to question PG&E’s operations in other communities, proving that her fight for clean water and corporate accountability is an ongoing, global mission.

Erin Brockovich: Biography and The Hinkley Legacy

Erin Brockovich (née Pattee), born on June 22, 1960, is an American consumer advocate, environmental activist, and paralegal whose name is synonymous with corporate accountability. A former beauty pageant contestant and single mother of three, her life took a dramatic turn when she was hired as a file clerk at the law firm of Masry & Vititoe in 1992.

Key Biographical Milestones:

• Born: June 22, 1960 (Lawrence, Kansas)
• Occupation: Paralegal, Consumer Advocate, Environmental Activist, Author, Public Speaker.
• Education: Graduated from Wichita North High School and attended Wade College in Dallas, Texas.
• The Landmark Case: The 1993 class-action lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) for groundwater contamination in Hinkley, California.
• The Contaminant: Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium-6), a known carcinogen, which PG&E knowingly discharged into unlined percolation ponds between 1952 and 1966.
• The Settlement: On July 2, 1996, the case was settled for $333 million, the largest direct-action settlement in U.S. history at the time.
• The Film: The 2000 film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, immortalized her story and activism.

Brockovich’s investigation uncovered that PG&E’s compressor station in Hinkley used chromium-6 as a rust inhibitor in its cooling tower water. The contaminated wastewater was then dumped into unlined ponds, leaching into the groundwater and directly impacting the health of Hinkley residents, causing serious illnesses, including cancer.

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The Unfinished Business: Why Hinkley’s Cleanup Is Still Failing (2024 Update)

While the $333 million settlement was a monumental victory for the residents of Hinkley, the money did not magically solve the environmental catastrophe. Decades later, the cleanup efforts by PG&E are widely considered a failure, a harsh reality that keeps the original case perpetually open in the public and environmental consciousness.

1. The Chromium-6 Plume Continues to Spread

The most shocking update is the persistence of the toxic plume. As of late 2024, the town of Hinkley, California, remains plagued by toxic chromium-6 contamination. PG&E’s remediation program has been criticized for being ineffective and slow. The company initially claimed the plume was contained, but state regulators have consistently found that the contamination has spread further than PG&E admitted.

• Plume Migration: The toxic groundwater plume has spread significantly, covering an area of several square miles.
• Remediation Techniques: PG&E has attempted various methods, including agricultural-based remediation (using alfalfa to absorb the chromium) and injecting a reagent to convert the toxic chromium-6 into the less harmful chromium-3.
• The Long Wait: The cleanup process has dragged on for decades, causing widespread frustration and confirming the fears of environmental advocates that PG&E is prioritizing profit over timely, effective remediation.

2. The Town of Hinkley is a Ghost Town

The prolonged contamination and the perceived failure of the cleanup have led to the near-complete depopulation of Hinkley. Many original residents, fearing for their health and disheartened by the lack of progress, accepted buyouts from PG&E and moved away. The once-vibrant desert community is now largely a ghost town, a physical testament to the long-term devastation caused by corporate pollution.

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• Property Buyouts: PG&E purchased hundreds of homes and properties to create a buffer zone around the contamination.
• Community Erosion: The loss of residents led to the closure of local businesses, the school, and the post office, effectively dissolving the community structure.

Erin Brockovich’s New Battles Against PG&E and Corporate Polluters (2025)

Erin Brockovich’s commitment to environmental justice did not end with the Hinkley settlement. She continues to be a vocal and active advocate, often targeting PG&E for its ongoing operations and expanding her focus to include emerging threats like PFAS contamination.

3. Questioning PG&E’s Moss Landing Battery Plant (June 2025)

In a major, recent development, Erin Brockovich is actively questioning PG&E’s operations in other parts of California. Specifically, in June 2025, Brockovich and other advocates raised concerns about the decision to reopen the Moss Landing Battery Plant, which is partially owned and operated by PG&E’s partner, Vistra Energy.

• The Concern: Brockovich and attorneys are serving as a liaison for Moss Landing residents in a mass tort case, raising alarms about the potential environmental impact and safety of the large-scale battery storage facility.
• Topical Entities: Vistra Energy, Moss Landing, energy storage, environmental safety, mass tort.
• The Intention: This new involvement demonstrates that Brockovich is scrutinizing PG&E’s modern energy infrastructure, ensuring that the push for green energy does not come at the expense of local community health and safety—a direct parallel to the Hinkley case.

4. The Fight Against PG&E’s Bankruptcy Strategy

The utility company’s financial woes, largely stemming from its role in devastating California wildfires (unrelated to Hinkley), led to PG&E filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019. Brockovich was quick to protest this move, arguing that PG&E was attempting to use the bankruptcy process to evade or minimize its liability to victims and skirt its financial responsibilities.

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• Corporate Evasion: Brockovich highlighted the ethical failure of a multi-billion dollar corporation trying to restructure its debt at the expense of victims of its negligence.
• Ongoing Scrutiny: This situation kept PG&E under intense public and legal scrutiny, with Brockovich ensuring that the narrative of corporate accountability remained central during the bankruptcy proceedings.

5. Leading the Charge on PFAS Contamination ("Forever Chemicals")

Beyond PG&E, Brockovich has aggressively shifted her focus to one of the most pressing environmental issues of the modern era: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals." She is actively highlighting and working alongside attorneys in PFAS contamination lawsuits across the country.

• PFAS Connection: These man-made chemicals are found in countless consumer products and have contaminated water sources nationwide, mirroring the scope and severity of the chromium-6 crisis.
• The New Hinkley: Brockovich views the PFAS crisis as the new generation of corporate water pollution, applying the same principles of investigation and advocacy she perfected in the PG&E case.
• Topical Entities: PFAS, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, forever chemicals, mass tort, clean water advocacy.

The story of Erin Brockovich and PG&E is not just a historical footnote about a massive settlement; it is a living case study on the enduring challenge of environmental cleanup, corporate responsibility, and the power of individual advocacy. The contamination in Hinkley, the new scrutiny on Moss Landing, and Brockovich’s relentless pursuit of polluters in 2025 all confirm that the battle she started decades ago is still raging.