Energy

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

Santa Monica Consumer Watchdog Warns Against Gas Price Increase

December 16, 2014 · Mark Reback

December 16, 2014--Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog on Monday released a report warning that oil industry officials plan to use “artificially inflated” gas prices, bogus refinery slowdowns and other tactics in a bid to derail the state’s new climate protection measures set to go into effect next month.

Pump Jacking California’s Climate Protection: The Threat Of Oil Industry Influence & Market Manipulation

December 15, 2014 · Liza Tucker

Internal documents obtained from the oil industry’s lobbying arm, the Western States Petroleum Association, show that the companies have made stopping California’s landmark climate change...

Reports: EU Taking First Step Towards Breaking Up Google

November 21, 2014 · Mark Reback

<section class="page"> 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.

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

November 1, 2014 · Mark Reback

<div id="content-body-713359-3515410"> <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. 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.

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

October 10, 2014 · Mark Reback

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>

Google to Search for the Meaning of Health

July 25, 2014 · Mark Reback

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.

Inside Job: How Boeing Fixers Captured Regulators And Derailed A Nuclear And Chemical Cleanup in LA’s Backyard

June 4, 2014 · Liza Tucker

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has been a historically troubled agency, far too often failing to effectively fulfill its mission of protecting...

CA Insurance Commissioner Race Boils Down to Power Debate

May 28, 2014 · Mark Reback

<div id="content-only-wrapper-block"> <a href="http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/ww/ww140528ca_insurance_commiss">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast</a>.

Medical Malpractice Initiative Qualifies For California Ballot

May 15, 2014 · Mark Reback

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.

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

March 5, 2014 · Liza Tucker

<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.

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

February 28, 2014 · Liza Tucker

<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.

Workers Allege Hunters Point Dirt Needs to be Screened for Radiation

February 27, 2014 · Mark Reback

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 <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>.