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Consumer Watchdog

Energy

Energy and utility watchdog coverage — gas prices, oil-industry profits, utility rates, and clean-energy accountability.
Reports: EU Taking First Step Towards Breaking Up Google

Reports: EU Taking First Step Towards Breaking Up Google

<section class="page"> <p><span class="itemprop="articleBody">Members of the European Parliament are readying a motion calling for the break-up of Google, by separating its search engine functionality from other commercial services, according to news reports.</span></p>
California Lawmakers’ Campaign Credit-Card Spending Often Lacks Disclosure, Sacramento Bee Review Finds

California Lawmakers’ Campaign Credit-Card Spending Often Lacks Disclosure, Sacramento Bee Review Finds

<div id="content-body-713359-3515410"> <p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-10907" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/images_credit_card_graphic_1102.jpg" style="width: 350px; height: 664px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="633" height="1200" />California lawmakers racked up more than $4 million in campaign credit-card charges during the first 18 months of this election cycle.</p> <p>Some ate in five-star restaurants and reported holding meetings in nightclubs and an amusement park. They bought fruit baskets and wine as gifts. They went to Las Vegas, Hawaii and international destinations.</p>
Michael Peevey’s Announced Exit Solves Political Problem for Jerry Brown

Michael Peevey’s Announced Exit Solves Political Problem for Jerry Brown

<p>defended Michael Peevey, the embattled president of the <a class="lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/California+Public+Utilities+Commission/" rel="nofollow" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;">California Public Utilities Commission.</a></p>
Google to Search for the Meaning of Health

Google to Search for the Meaning of Health

<p><em><strong>Google intends to use its powerful algorithms and analytics in the service of a science project to unlock the mystery of what constitutes human health at the baseline level. That is, what is the state of a person's molecular chemistry long before what we recognize as disease kicks in? To achieve that knowledge, Google intends to study the biochemical makeup of volunteer subjects.</strong></em></p>
Medical Malpractice Initiative Qualifies For California Ballot

Medical Malpractice Initiative Qualifies For California Ballot

<p>A decades-long fight among powerful California interests is finally coming before voters, as the proponents of a push to increase the sum victims can recover in medical <a class="lingo_link" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/malpractice+lawsuits/" rel="nofollow" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;">malpractice lawsuits</a> announced Thursday that they've qualified for the November ballot.</p>
Department of Public Health Radiological Branch Launches Investigation as Toxics Regulators Allow Large Quantities of Possibly Contaminated Soil to Leave Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard

Department of Public Health Radiological Branch Launches Investigation as Toxics Regulators Allow Large Quantities of Possibly Contaminated Soil to Leave Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20515" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/images_cadeptpublichealthlogo.jpg" style="width: 160px; height: 133px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="160" height="133" />Santa Monica, CA—Consumer Watchdog has confirmed that the Department of Public Health’s Radiological Health Branch is investigating allegations that large amounts of soil dug up in a potentially radioactively contaminated parcel at Hunters Point may not have been checked for radiation before shipping to facilities not licensed to take low level radioactive waste.<br /> <br />
Consumer Watchdog Requests Radiological Inspection at Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard As Possibly Contaminated Soil Heads to Landfills Unlicensed for Radioactive Waste

Consumer Watchdog Requests Radiological Inspection at Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard As Possibly Contaminated Soil Heads to Landfills Unlicensed for Radioactive Waste

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20512" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/images_hunterspoint_0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right; width: 211px; " width="300" height="225" />Santa Monica, CA—Consumer Watchdog has called for a state investigation of the cleanup of Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco for large amounts of soil that may have been dug up in a radioactively impacted parcel without being checked for contamination and then sent off site for possible disposal in landfills unlicensed to take low-level radioactive waste.<br /> <br />
Workers Allege Hunters Point Dirt Needs to be Screened for Radiation

Workers Allege Hunters Point Dirt Needs to be Screened for Radiation

<p><b>Sources say workers are being exposed to radiological contamination at Hunters Point, that soil is being shipped to Bay Area landfills without being screened and that public health is at risk</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/Workers-Allege-Hunters-Point-Dirt-Needs-to-be-Screened-for-Radiation-247689791.html">Click here to view the video segment of this news broadcast</a>.</p>
Comcast-Time Warner Deal Would Be Bad News For Consumers And Valley Startups

Comcast-Time Warner Deal Would Be Bad News For Consumers And Valley Startups

<p class="bodytextragright"><span id="iba2_siteCss"><span id="MNGiSection">At first glance, Comcast's proposed merger with Time Warner Cable may not look like it would matter much to the Bay Area, since only Comcast is available here. But the deal is bad news for both local Comcast customers and for Silicon Valley's Internet companies.</span></span></p>