Energy

Lawsuit Over Gas Pricing Revived

April 4, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>An appeals court rules that a class-action case alleging a conspiracy by oil refiners in the 1990s should proceed.</strong><br /> The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday revived a class-action lawsuit accusing Arco, Chevron and several other refiners of conspiring to fix gasoline prices during the mid-1990s. But the same panel expressed doubt that the plaintiffs would be able to prove their case. Judy Dugan of Consumer Watchdog said she wasn't sure whether the case could be proven, but added that "almost any gas station will tell you that the refiners are fixing the price to keep it high." Dugan said that the state attorney general's office "ought to demand more and better information from refineries about what they pay and on exactly how they set their prices." </p>

What does the “public” in “public option” really mean?

March 31, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

On Friday, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) spoke about his health care plan at the Center for American Progress.  You can listen to the Senator's remarks <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/SenBaucus-HCReform3-27-09-sm.mov">here.</a>

Will the politicians give back their AIG bonuses’?

March 19, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> After Enron's fraud on California during the 2001 electricity crisis became clear, a lot of politicians felt they had to give back their Enron contributions.  Our consumer group was the beneficiary of a few of those returned dollars, since we fought the energy industry's deregulation schemes.  Now Open Secrets reports <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000123">AIG's contributions</a>, from employees and related political action committees, to federal lawmakers totaled $9.3 million over the last decade, with an exact 50%-50% split between Democrats and Republicans. AIG sure knows how to hedge its bets. </p>

No Benefit To Motorists In A ‘Hot Fuel’ Fix, State Panel Says

March 12, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>California Energy Commission says the costs of compensating for gasoline temperature would outweigh the gains in fuel volume.</strong> </p> <p> Amid allegations of conflict of interest, the five members of the California Energy Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to tell lawmakers there was no benefit to fixing service station pumps to end an inequity that may be costing Californians millions of dollars a year. Activists charge that the vote was tainted because the lead commissioner on the case, James Boyd, is married to an executive vice president of the Western States Petroleum Assn., an oil industry group in Sacramento. Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog says documents it recently obtained under the California Public Records Act suggest that Boyd used his influence to manipulate findings in a staff draft report so they might favor some oil companies. </p>

Will Baucus’s HMO and drug company bucks foil Obamacare?

March 9, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> I remember flying around Montana on a national HMO patients' rights tour when Democratic US Senator Max Baucus was positioning himself as the real HMO reformer compared to longtime Republican US Senator from Montana Conrad Burns. Now Baucus, as the Chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, is positioned to dictate the terms of health care reform on Capitol Hill. But our new study of campaign contributions on Capitol Hill calls into question what he will deliver as the Senate architect of Obamacare. </p>

Cleaner & Cheaper:A Handbook of Transportation and Related Energy Choices 2009 and Beyond

March 3, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

This handbook offers solutions for the most visible and perva- sive sector of the current oil/environmental crisis: transportation by automobile. Americans travel more than 3.5...

Arnold’s staff taking free trips on us

March 2, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-expenses1-2009mar01,0,5484509,full.story">The Los Angeles Times reported</a> over the weekend that several top members of Arnold’s staff charged California taxpayers thousands in airfare, hotel and meal costs with little oversight, and some without any documentation. <br />

California Consumer Groups Dispute ‘Hot Fuel’ Report

March 2, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Two consumer rights groups in California are claiming that the lead energy commissioner involved in a gasoline "hot fuel" study has a conflict of interest because his wife serves in an executive position with the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA). One of the groups, Consumer Watchdog, sent a letter to Commissioner James Boyd on Feb. 9 about his potential conflict of interest, and on Feb. 24, Consumer Watchdog and Public Citizen filed a request for public records of the California Energy Commission, seeking correspondence between energy commission staff and Commissioner Boyd. </p>

Local Refinery Will Slow Or Stop For Repairs

February 24, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Tesoro Corp. has slowed production on a hydrocracker unit at the company's Golden Eagle Refinery in Martinez in a move that stoked a new debate over gasoline prices that have risen while crude oil prices have plunged. One consumer group was skeptical about the timing of the hydrocracker shutdown. "In most industries, that would not cause suspicion," said Judy Dugan, research director of Oil Watchdog, a unit of Consumer Watchdog. "But the refinery industry has a history of timing its repairs for possible economic benefits."

Consumer Group May Lose Hot Fuel Fight

February 20, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

A study by the California Energy Commission found the average temperature of gas in California is 71 degrees. At that temperature, gas is expanding and consumers are actually getting 1 percent less gas than they buy. Installing temperature gauges at the pump could automatically adjust the amount of gas pumped. But a commission report says the cost of installing that equipment would just get passed on to consumers and benefits no one. The California group, Consumer Watchdog, disagrees.

Chevron’s 2008 Profit New Record

January 30, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

San Ramon-based Chevron, though, quickly drew criticism from a consumer group that believes Chevron is too profitable and is using its cash improperly. "Chevron's robust health is no help at all to the rest of the country," said Judy Dugan, research director with Santa Monica-based Oil Watchdog. "They reached deep into our wallets for these profits. They are using the profits to buy back their stock. They are just sitting on the cash."

Bakersfield Refinery May Be Idled Indefinitely

January 29, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Big West is unable to buy the crude oil to keep the facility running. Job cuts are imminent.</strong> <p> "If this plant shuts down permanently, gas and diesel prices are going to rise in California," said Judy Dugan, a spokeswoman for Consumer Watchdog. The Santa Monica activist group has raised concerns to state officials that Shell Oil, a major crude supplier to Big West, may be withholding supply from the refinery. Shell is the former owner of the Bakersfield refinery and tried to close it several years ago before being forced by the state to sell it to boost competition. </p>