Energy

System For Doling Out ‘Hydrogen Highway’ Grants Is Polluted

May 15, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Millions of dollars in "hydrogen highway" grants by a state commission are drawing cries of favoritism and collusion as they seem to guarantee that most refueling stations for the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles due to hit the road by 2017 will be owned by two large companies closely aligned with auto manufacturers.<br /> <br /> Very quietly, the California Energy Commission is letting carmakers -- seven of the eight companies involved are foreign-owned -- decide which proposals for building hydrogen stations get the grants, authorized by a law passed in 2007.<br /> <br />

Cool News About ‘Hot Fuel’

April 19, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The fight over “hot fuel” has gone on for years, but now there’s welcome news: Three major gasoline retailers have agreed to settle lawsuits accusing them of selling fuel that hasn’t been adjusted for temperature.</p> <p> As Judy Dugan of Consumer Watchdog in California put it, “The wall of resistance is crumbling .…”</p>

Wal-Mart, Two Other Retailers Settle ‘Hot Fuel’ Suits

April 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Three companies with thousands of retail fuel pumps have agreed to settle lawsuits accusing them of shorting consumers with "hot fuel" -- gasoline and diesel sold without adjusting their volume for temperature.<br /> <br />

Consumer Watchdog Asks Legislature to Better Protect Public From Evergreen Oil

April 12, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p class="subhead"> A letter was issued to state senators asking for "for an examination of the years-long failure of the Department of Toxic Substances Control to protect communities from dangerous industries."</p> <div class="main_text"> <p> A Newark refinery was identified by Consumer Watchdog as an example of a "dangerous industry" that the group says the <a href="http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/">state Department of Toxic Substances Control </a>has failed to efficiently supervise for the sake of public health and safety concerns.</p>

Viewpoints: Confirmation Puts Focus On State’s Toxic Waste

April 11, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The underbelly of industry in California is toxic waste, from the arcane chemicals used to manufacture computers to contaminated engine oil left behind after an oil change at a service station. The state has strict rules and regulations on how such waste can be disposed of or recycled – governing storage, transportation and reprocessing to protect air, soil and water. In theory, families should be safe even if a toxic waste producer is within spitting distance of their neighborhood or school.</p>

A Lot Less Fuming At The Gas Pump This Time

April 7, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong><img class=" size-full wp-image-9638" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/images_latgasmileagecharts.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 702px;" width="200" height="702" />People aren't nearly as angry over prices as they were in '08, for several reasons.</strong><br /> <br /> Gas prices have soared about 15% in the last six months, hitting $3.94 a gallon average nationwide, and $4.29 in California.<br /> <br /> The mood of motorists? Meh.<br /> <br />

“Gas Pain” At Pump and Smokestack

March 29, 2012  ·  Judy Dugan

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Google’s Motorola Deal OK’d, But Regulators Vow to Monitor Patents

February 15, 2012  ·  John M. Simpson

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2203" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_johndrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic have cleared Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but are vowing to keep a close eye on the Internet giant's behavior after the deal goes through.</p>

Identity Thieves Targeting The Dead

February 14, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <a href="http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/139299863.html">Click here to watch the video of this news broadcast segment</a>.</p> <p> <strong>Las Vegas, NV (KTNV)</strong> -- Your social security number is the one thing you're told not to give out to just anybody. But what happens to it when you die? One Valley woman says thieves are targeting the one person who can't fight back, her dead husband. So how could that happen?</p> <p> "You think when somebody dies their identity is supposed to die with them," said Joanne Edling.</p>

Gas Prices Headed Higher

January 19, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Experts disagree on the reason, but agree prices are going up</strong></p> <p> <a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Gas-Prices-Headed-Higher--137724073.html">Click here to watch the video of this news broadcast.</a></p>

2012: Few Jobs, But Gobs of Profit for Oil

January 3, 2012  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2206" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_judydrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px;" width="133" height="200" /><img class=" size-full wp-image-2338" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/images_gasorchanel_0.png" style="width: 250px; height: 178px;" width="300" height="214" /></p> <p>  </p>

Ohio’s Earthquake: Top 10 New Ways to Use Toxic Gas-Drilling Waste

January 3, 2012  ·  Judy Dugan

<p>