Wildfire Survivors, Consumer Groups, Insurers, Public Entities Oppose Limits on Survivors’ Rights At Hearings In CA Capitol On CEA SB 254 Report

Oil Permits Surge In First Q 2026 With Majority For Dangerous Extraction Techniques; Watchdogs Warn New State Drilling Law Unfair

Watchdog Warns of Continued Gasoline Price Spikes Without Promised Energy Commission Rules

Energy

Energy and utility watchdog coverage — gas prices, oil-industry profits, utility rates, and clean-energy accountability.

State Utility Regulators Will Again Consider Releasing San Onofre Emails

April 26, 2017 · Mark Reback

The day after then-Sen. Barbara Boxer called on the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/topic/crime-law-justice/u.s.-department-of-justice-ORGOV0000160-topic.html" id="ORGOV0000160" title="U.S. Department of Justice">U.S.

PG&E Execs Land Pay Raises After Bill Spikes, Criminal Conviction

April 18, 2017 · Mark Reback

PG&E bestowed pay raises on several executives during a year in which the company was convicted of crimes related to the fatal San Bruno explosion and amid spikes in monthly bills for customers, according to a regulatory filing Tuesday.

Consumer Group Says Oil Industry, Not California Consumers, Should Pay New Gas Tax

April 5, 2017 · Evan Thomas King

Governor Jerry Brown and legislative leaders hail the Governor’s plan to fix roads, freeways and bridges across California as a “landmark transportation investment,” but a prominent consumer group says Brown’s gas tax to fix roads should come out of oil companies’ windfall profits — and not out of consumers’ wallets.

Consumer Groups Oppose Utilities Panel Appointee

April 5, 2017 · Mark Reback

Consumer advocates and public-interest lawyers joined Thursday in calling on leaders in the California Senate to block the confirmation of one of Gov. <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/topic/politics-government/jerry-brown-PEPLT007547-topic.html" id="PEPLT007547" title="Jerry Brown">Jerry Brown</a>’s latest nominations to the Public Utilities Commission.

Consumer Watchdog Says Oil Companies Should Pick Up The Bill For Gov. Brown’s Gas Tax

April 5, 2017 · Evan Thomas King

Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed gas tax to fix California’s crumbling roads, freeways and bridges should be paid by the oil companies that are reaping massive profits, not by consumers who are routinely gouged at the pump, a Santa Monica-based consumer advocate said Tuesday. Consumer Watchdog sent a letter to California legislators this week urging Brown to shift the burden to the oil companies that have amassed huge profits in California while motorists pay significantly higher gas prices than the rest of the nation.

Measure to hike gas tax wins early approval; State GOP lawmakers and the governor clash as the transit and road repair bill heads to Senate floor.

April 4, 2017 · Evan Thomas King

Faced with a personal appeal by Gov. Jerry Brown, a state Senate panel on Monday gave the first approval to a measure that would raise gas taxes and vehicle fees by $52 billion during the next decade for road and bridge repairs.

L.A. County Study Decries State Claims For Need Of Aliso Canyon Storage Plant

March 31, 2017 · Mark Reback

A scathing Los Angeles County study has concluded that the troubled Aliso Canyon natural gas facility isn’t needed to ensure reliability of electricity and gas service in the region this summer or the coming winter. That review sharply contrasts with the dire warnings issued last summer by state regulators, who stirred up fears of blackouts and the possibility of snuffed-out pilot lights come winter without the use of Aliso Canyon.

How Green Is Jerry Brown?

February 15, 2017 · Liza Tucker

This review fact-checks the perception of Jerry Brown as an environmentalist against his actions since taking office as Governor in 2011 to answer the question: “How Green Is Brown?” On a continuum of “Green” to “Murky” to “Dirty,” the review concludes that Brown’s…

Californians are paying billions for power they don’t need

February 8, 2017 · Evan Thomas King

The bucolic orchards of Sutter County north of Sacramento had never seen anything like it: a visiting governor and a media swarm — all to christen the first major natural gas power plant in California in more than a decade.

Will Aliso Canyon open again? Feinstein backs bill to keep it closed for now

February 8, 2017 · Evan Thomas King

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Monday announced her support for a state bill that would stop the reopening of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility until the root cause of a massive leak that occurred there is determined.

Jerry Brown Not So Green: CA Ratepayers Overpaid Billions For Dirty Energy

February 7, 2017 · Jamie Court

Californians are paying billions of dollars too much for electric plants we don’t need. That’s the finding of a major Los Angeles Times investigation and...

As Trump Revives Keystone XL Pipeline, Report Shows it Will Increase Gas Prices

January 26, 2017 · Mark Reback

Just days after being sworn as 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, in a series of executive orders, is planning <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/24/trump-gives-green-light-to-dakota-access-keystone-xl-oil-pipelines/?utm_term=.d1cbde8e48fa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to revive the Dakota and Keystone XL pipelines</a>. Both projects were abandoned by Barack Obama a few weeks before the end of his second term, to calm the protests and to maintain environmental sustainability.