News Releases

Prominent Public Interest Groups Support Consumer Watchdog Petition To CA Supreme Court To Require State Agencies To Enforce Strict Rule On Radioactive Debris Disposal From Santa Susana Site

July 18, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Supreme Court Action Needed To Protect Hundreds Of Thousands Of Californians From Harm Los Angeles, CA—Public interest groups filed amicus letters with the California Supreme...

California Oil Regulators Continue Issuing Permits In Q2 To Rework Leaky, Unproductive Wells; Should Order Plugging Instead, Advocates Say

July 13, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA—The total number of oil drilling permits issued blew past 15,000 since Governor Newsom took office in 2019, while nearly all permits issued...

CA Anti-Gouging Law Has Led To Lower Gasoline Prices, Consumer Watchdog Finds

June 28, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA—California gasoline prices have dropped significantly and stabilized relative to national gas prices in the wake of the Governor’s call, and enactment of,...

Consumer Watchdog Asks CA Finance Dept. To Strike Continued Funding For Failed SF Mobile Recycling Pilot From Budget

June 22, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA— Consumer Watchdog has called upon the Governor’s Department of Finance to strike a $500,000 allocation in the legislative-approved budget for the San...

SF BottleBank Pilot To Refund CRV Bottle Deposits A Bust; Coalition Gives CalRecyle Checklist for Reform 

June 12, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA—The San Francisco BottleBank bottle deposit return  pilot featuring trucks rotating between supermarket parking lots has burned through over $3.6 million in state...

Senator Portantino Stops Bill To Hold Oil Drillers Liable For Health Impacts On Community In Undemocratic Use of Unilateral Power To Hold Bills In Committee

May 18, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

SB 556 would have held oil companies presumptively liable for causing cancer, asthma, preterm and high risk births for people living within 3200 ft of...

Bill To Hold Oil Companies Liable for Harms in Safety Zones Passes First Hurdle in the California Senate

April 25, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

SB 556 — legislation that gives people who live near oil wells and have developed cancer, respiratory illnesses and birth defects the right to hold oil drillers liable for their illnesses — passed the California Senate Judiciary Committee in a 8 to 2 vote. SB 556 will now be referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

New Watchdog Report Lays Out Checklist For CalRecycle To Make Bottle Deposit Refunds Easy As Buying The Beverages

April 19, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA— Consumer Watchdog released a report today outlining what CalRecycle, the state’s recycling regulator, should do beginning at its public workshop on April...

Bill to Hold Oil Drillers Presumptively Liable For Harms in Drilling Safety Zones Garners Support of 130+ Group Coalition

April 18, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

New legislation gives people who have developed cancer, respiratory illnesses and birth defects the right to hold oil drillers liable for their illnesses if they live, work, or go to school within 3200 feet of oil drilling and if the company did not use the best technologies to mitigate risk.  

Public Interest Groups Take On Newsom Administration Over Backtracking On Cleanup Of Radioactivity At Santa Susana Site, Case To Be Heard On Monday

April 13, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

In an appeal before the Court of Appeal in Sacramento to be heard on Monday, the Newsom Administration will be challenged over positions that breach a longstanding agreement to require all radioactive waste from the Santa Susana Field Lab be disposed of at sites licensed and designed for such waste.

1st Q Oil Permits Within 3,200-Foot Setback Zone Total 62% Of All New Permits Approved In State Action Condemned By Advocates

April 12, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

The total number of oil drilling permits approved since Governor Gavin Newsom he took office reached nearly 15,000 in the first quarter of 2023, FracTracker Alliance and Consumer Watchdog said today.

Price Gouging Penalty and Oil Refiner Accountability Bill To Become Law

March 27, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Legislation backed by Governor Newsom to create a new state watchdog with power to prevent price gouging at the gas pump cleared the California Assembly by a vote of 52 to 19 and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.