Energy

PUC Reforms Still Needed After PG&E Blast In San Bruno, Lawmakers Say

September 28, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>California lawmakers say they will push for extensive reforms — including a possible amendment to the state Constitution — after efforts to revamp the troubled agency failed in the recently concluded legislative session.</p>

Agency Probes Whether California Dem Party Funneled Illicit Oil Donations To Governor

September 26, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>California’s campaign finance watchdog agency is looking into allegations the state’s Democratic Party funneled millions of dollars from oil and energy companies to high-profile politicians, including Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2014 reelection campaign.</p> <p>“It was a laundry machine for dirty energy contributions to the Brown administration, a slush fund of sorts, hiding big oil, utility and other dirty energy dollars in close proximity to officials’ actions,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, the group that brought the complaint. </p>

FPPC Launches Probe Into CA Democratic Party in Response To Consumer Watchdog Report

September 25, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div style="text-align: justify;">The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) announced on September 23 that it has opened an investigation into the California Democratic Party in response to a report by a prominent consumer group claiming that the party acted as a “laundry machine” to funnel donations from oil, energy and utility companies to Brown’s 2014 election campaign.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>

Political Watchdog Won’t Investigate Brown Over ‘Dirty Hands’ Report

September 24, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The California Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate donations made to the California Democratic Party by privately owned utilities and other energy interests.</p> <p>The action was prompted by an <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sdut-brown-consumer-watchdog-2016aug11-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August report</a> from the Santa Monica advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, which focused on the political influence of companies that rely on fossil fuels.</p>

Political Watchdog Launches Probe Into California Democratic Party Over Jerry Brown Donations

September 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The state’s political ethics commission is launching an investigation into the California Democratic Party after an advocacy group alleged the party acted as a middle man to funnel donations from oil and energy companies to Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2014 re-election campaign.</p>

FPPC Probes State Democratic Party For Donations To Jerry Brown

September 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SACRAMENTO — The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating allegations that the California Democratic Party funneled more than $4 million in political donations from oil and energy companies into the most recent gubernatorial campaigns of Gov. Jerry Brown.</p>

Allegations That Oil Money Was Funneled To Gov. Jerry Brown’s Campaign Will Be Investigated By State Watchdog

September 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="widget widget-text" data-widget-id="57114"> <p>The state’s campaign finance watchdog agency will investigate allegations that the California Democratic Party improperly funneled contributions from the oil and energy industry to the 2014 reelection campaign of Gov. Jerry Brown, officials said Friday.</p>

2 PUC Reform Bills Die, Emails Will Stary Secret

September 1, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<h2>Governor's office notes that two other PUC measures passed</h2> <p>Advocates hoping for reform at the California Public Utilities Commission were disappointed twice this week, as an overhaul bill died in the legislature and a court ruling allowed certain emails regarding the agency’s response to the San Onofre failure to remain secret.</p> <p>Lawmakers did pass two bills that imposed changes on the commission, which for two years has been under criminal investigation for backchannel dealings with utility executives.</p>

SoCal Gas Presses To Reopen Gas Storage Field, Raising Specter Of Hot Water Shortages

August 29, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/08/26/63994/socal-gas-presses-to-reopen-gas-storage-field-rais/">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment</a>.</p> <p class="inaugural">The risk that Los Angeles neighborhoods could have power outages due to a shortage of gas storage will be lower this winter than it was over the summer, state energy officials said Friday.</p>

Jerry Brown’s Dirty Hands Exposed In Big Energy Deal, Says Consumer Advocate

August 24, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A new report by Consumer Watchdog digs into Governor Jerry Brown’s questionable ties to big energy companies. Occidental, Chevron and NRG, all with business before the state, donated $9.8 million to Brown’s various campaigns, causes and initiatives and to the California Democratic Party since he ran for governor.</p>

KGO 810AM – Pat Thurston Hosts Liza Tucker To Discuss “Brown’s Dirty Hands” Report

August 24, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.kgoradio.com/2016/08/24/pat-thurston-liza-tucker/">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment</a>.</p> <p><strong>Liza Tucker</strong> Consumer Advocate with Consumer Watchdog discusses their new report that highlights the Brown administration’s coziness with energy companies.</p> <div class="entry-content" itemprop="text"> <p><a href="http://www.capitolwatchdog.org/article/browns-dirty-hands">Read more: Brown’s Dirty Hands</a></p>

California Environmentalists Say Gov. Jerry Brown Has “Dirty Hands”

August 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>FEATURING LIZA TUCKER – The state of California is considered a leader in the fight against climate change. Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown has positioned himself as a “climate change warrior,” signing bills to promote renewable energy. But, a new report by the group Consumer Watchdog has found a disturbing link between concessions to energy companies, and donations from those companies to Brown’s reelection campaign and some of his favorite charities.