Energy

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

Gas Prices May Rise After Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion

February 18, 2015 · Mark Reback

An explosion and fire at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance Wednesday could mean bad news for motorists who may wind up paying a higher price at the pump. The explosion “most likely will contribute to upward pressure on (gas) prices,” Marie Montgomery of the <a href="http://www.calif.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Automobile Club of Southern California</a> told City News Service. “If there is extensive damage that results in a longer-term closure, obviously that (would) have a bigger impact.” Montgomery said.

Investigation Of Suspected Gasoline Price Manipulation Sought

February 18, 2015 · Mark Reback

State officials should send independent inspectors to verify oil company claims that the shutdown of two refineries in California were really necessary, says the group called Consumer Watchdog of Santa Monica. In a letter Wednesday to the governor, the state attorney general and lawmakers, Liza Tucker and Cody Rosenfield of Consumer Watchdog say they want to know if the companies “are telling the truth.”

Be Prepared to Pay More for Gas After Torrance Refinery Explosion

February 18, 2015 · Mark Reback

The explosion this morning at an ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance came at a bad time for fuel prices. After a benevolent winter of relatively low rates, wholesale gas prices have nearly doubled since mid-January, says Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service. If ExxonMobil shutters the Torrance facility, its only California refinery, it could add .15 cents a gallon to the current price spike, he said.

End Of Road For Bargain California Gas Prices

February 17, 2015 · Mark Reback

America's long holiday at the gas pump has come to an end, with prices finally rising after seven months of steady decline. And in California, they're starting to soar.

How Business is Really Done Before Environmental Agencies

February 14, 2015 · Liza Tucker

If you think the environmental news in California is depressing with the latest fiasco of regulators allowing oil companies to re-inject wastewater from fracking into hundreds of aquifers containing water designated as clean <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-fracking-20150211-story.html#page=1">for years and years</a>, it’s worse than you think.

Price Spiked: How Oil Refiners Gouge Californians on their Gasoline and What it Costs

February 10, 2015 · Cody Rosenfield

Californians have perennially experienced steep gasoline price spikes since 1999 when California’s Attorney General formed a Gasoline Pricing Taskforce that identified market consolidation and limited...

Consumer Group Calls for Investigation of Refinery Shutdown in Martinez

February 6, 2015 · Mark Reback

A consumer group is urging state officials to investigate Tesoro’s decision to close its refinery in Martinez while steelworkers at the plant participate in a national strike. Liza Tucker, a consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog, said taking the Golden Eagle plant offline will cut California’s crude oil refining capacity by 8 percent, resulting in higher prices at the pump.

FCC Urged To Impose Privacy Rules On Broadband Providers

January 26, 2015 · Mark Reback

Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog is telling the Federal Communications Commission that new broadband regulations should include privacy obligations. "If consumers believe that their broadband provider substantially threatens their privacy, they are less likely to use the Internet,” the group says in a filing submitted to the FCC today.

Will State Officials Racing For Boxer’s Seat Be Bold or Weaker?

January 8, 2015 · Jamie Court

The <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/barbara-boxer-retires-114076.html" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em;">announcement by Senator Boxer</a>, a true champion of the underdog (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHrH5vn-6kw">watch her Rage for Justice speech</a>), that she will not run for the Senate in 2016 will likely make a lot of other state officials rethink how they do their jobs.

No Justice, No Peace

December 24, 2014 · Consumer Watchdog

Will State Gas Prices Soar In Protest Of 2015 Environmental Law?

December 22, 2014 · Mark Reback

Jamie Court calls it the “January surprise.” Court, president of the Consumer Watchdog nonprofit, is convinced oil companies may try to artificially inflate California’s gasoline prices in January.

California Officials Ready to Spank Oil Companies

December 16, 2014 · Jamie Court

I have been watching oil companies get away with price gouging for so many years that it was refreshing to see California's top political leaders let the oil companies know that they're going to be on the hot seat if they try to undermine California's landmark environmental laws taking effect in January. The admonitions to Big Oil came at NextGen Climate America's Leadership <a href="http://sacb.ee/25Lp" target="_hplink" rel="noopener">Summit</a> in Oakland on Monday from Governor Jerry Brown, Assembly Speaker Tony Atkins and Senate leader Kevin De Leon.