Energy

AT&T Park to go solar

March 20, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Although a press release from the Giants and PG&E said the electricty will be sent "into San Francisco's power grid to help the city achieve its goal to become the greenest city in the nation,'' once on the grid, electricity can move over great distances, with no guarantee that the "clean power'' will stay in San Francisco. "The electricity from this could end up anywhere -- in Yolo County, or even across the Bay, lighting up the A's stadium,'' said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a Los Angeles consumer rights group.</p>

California expects to see fix to hot fuel;

March 15, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Solution likely coming within months to state's pumps, Sen. Boxer says.</h3><p class="source">The Kansas City Star</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said he expected Boxer's involvement to make the day nearer when consumers in California would be able to buy temperature-adjusted fuel.</p>

Consumer group attacks UC-Berkeley for ties to Big Oil

March 14, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Saying that Berkeley should learn from Stanford's "mistakes,'' Foundation president Jamie Court said the regents should do everything they can to protect the public university's academic autonomy and integrity as it partners with Big Oil. "The University of California must not allow itself to be, as Stanford has become, a greenwash for one of the world's largest oil companies,'' Court wrote. The foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan consumer group based in Santa Monica.</p>

Big Oil Grants At Cal, Stanford Draw Criticism

March 13, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">KPIX-TV5 (CBS - San Francisco, CA)</p> <p>"They mention Stanford because they get credibility by being associated with Stanford," said John Simpson of the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights. And now his consumer-rights group is raising questions about oil companies sponsoring research projects on local campuses. "Here you have companies that don't have very good images doing everything they can to associate with well known high quality research institutions. And clearly they're burnishing their image," Simpson said.</p>

BP’s Deal With UC Berkeley Under Scrutiny;

March 12, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Is The University Being Exploited?</h3><p class="source">KGO-TV 7 (ABC - San Francisco, CA)</p> <p>John Simpson, Foundation for Taxpayers' and Consumers' Rights: "That's a huge problem as I see it. You're going to have public research going on and shoulder to shoulder you're going to have BP scientists on the payroll indulging in what's described as proprietary research. That means to me secret research. It just seems to me that they get the benefit from everything that Berkeley has to offer and they give very little in return."</p>

Pump prices rising with swelling refinery profits

March 11, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Ventura County Star (California)</p> <p>Consumer advocates say the oil companies are intentionally limiting gasoline supplies to drive up prices and profit margins. "What this industry needs to make big profits and what consumers need to have reasonable prices are very different things," said Judy Dugan, research director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Rise in gasoline prices

March 10, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">CBS TV Evening News (6:30 PM EST)</p> <p>Mr. JAMIE COURT (Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights): We are going to see a dollar run up at the pump if things keep going this way by summer. And that is going to put a very serious dent in the economy.</p>

Pump prices flirt with $3;

March 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Sacramento area sees jump of 35 cents a gallon in last month.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The power outage explanation drew scoffs from the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, which said the real blame lies with the refineries. The foundation said the refiners are guilty of a "deliberate shrinking of refinery capacity," making the market vulnerable to the slightest hiccups.</p>

Cash Question Still Looms Over Exxon Mobil

March 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Oil Daily</p> <p>One group -- the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights -- recently attacked Exxon, saying the company continues to hoard tens of billions of dollars rather than invest in refineries and oil alternatives.</p>

Refinery profit margins double in West;

March 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>It's one reason price of gas in state is up 44 cents since Feb. 1</h3><p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>Consumer advocates call many of the refinery problems a sham. The oil companies, they say, are limiting gasoline supplies to drive up prices and profit margins, just as power companies did during the state's electricity crisis six years ago. "What this industry needs to make big profits and what consumers need to have reasonable prices are very different things," said Judy Dugan, research director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Gas Prices Rise More Than 30 Cents in One Month

March 8, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">CSNews.com</p> <p>FTCR has actively spoken out against the gasoline marketplace on the West Coast before. A 46 cent price gap between the U.S. average price for gasoline and California's was more than can be accounted for by the state's slightly higher gasoline taxes, the group said in February after spokesmen and analysts accused a glitch at a Texas refinery for the price hike.</p>

California watchdog group cries foul on big oil

March 7, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Land Line Magazine</p> <p>In addition to the request for an investigation by the California Attorney General, FTCR is also calling on U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to hold hearings to force the oil companies to stop exerting pressure on Gilbarco or other manufacturers. "California is the test case for the temperature-adjusted pump in America," foundation President Jamie Court stated in a press release. "We must not allow one powerful industry to foil a fair and honest accounting for American motorists."</p>