Energy

Campaign scofflaws fined – 3 1/2 years too late

May 22, 2009  ·  Carmen Balber

Vail Drilling - an oil company and one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/energy/articles/?storyId=12233">largest donors</a> - had to <a href="http://www.fppc.ca.gov/index.html?id=48&show=detail&prid=691">pay a $6,500 fine</a> this week for failing to disclose a $500,000 contribution it made to the governator's campaign fund... in 2005.

Pump Prices Jump In State Oil Grows Costlier — Traders Betting On Further Rise

May 22, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Judy Dugan, researcher with Consumer Watchdog, said energy prices shouldn't be going up, no matter if people are hopeful or if it's a seasonal rise. "It's typical behavior in a completely atypical time," Dugan said. Oil prices "have nearly doubled. Nothing else in the economy or world has doubled." Consumption is down, she said, and even if Memorial Day travel creates a demand bump, it's not enough to declare a recovery. </p>

Lower Gas Prices Expected to Fuel More Memorial Day Travel

May 19, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

"The fact that oil is over $50 per barrel, much less close to $60, doesn't make sense in a pure supply and demand market," said Judy Dugan, who tracks oil prices at Consumer Watchdog, a public interest group in Santa Monica. "It's scary to think that if gasoline can go up this much in a completely collapsed market like this, when businesses are shutting down and people are being thrown out of jobs and economizing in every way, how much will it go up when the economy recovers? $4? $4.50?" Dugan said told the Union-Tribune.

46% Spike In Gas Price Just Doesn’t Make Sense

May 18, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

This conjunction of abundant supply and low demand should translate into cheap prices. But that isn't the case right now. “The fact that oil is over $50 per barrel, much less close to $60, doesn't make sense in a pure supply and demand market,” said Judy Dugan, who tracks oil prices at Consumer Watchdog, a public interest group in Santa Monica. “It's scary to think that if gasoline can go up this much in a completely collapsed market like this, when businesses are shutting down and people are being thrown out of jobs and economizing in every way, how much will it go up when the economy recovers? $4? $4.50?” Dugan said.

Utilities paid for PUC event

May 17, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>Commissioners Solicited Sponsorships; Ethical Questions Raised</strong><br /> <br /> Public Utilities Commissioner Gary Hanson solicited money for an energy conference from many of the Midwest utility companies that the PUC regulates. Improper relationships between Minnesota PUC members and the companies they regulate led years ago to new ethics rules to prohibit contact with the utilities during pending cases. "This level of fraternity is unacceptable," said Judy Dugan, research director with Consumer Watchdog, a California-based nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer rights group. "They will owe something to these industries at some point." </p>

Budget Measures’ Backers Pay Up To Avoid Added Taxes

May 8, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>Alcohol, tobacco and oil firms, sports teams and studios could bear a larger fiscal burden if voters say no on May 19.</strong> </p> <p> The corporate campaign giving "amounts to protection money," said Doug Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog. Heller said the corporations "already won yesterday's battles" to keep the state from hitting them up for revenue. The campaign contributions, he said, "give them a leg up in tomorrow's battle" over taxes. </p>

Insurers are poison, says GOP deceiver-in-chief

May 8, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> It's not a household name, but Frank Luntz is the brilliant deceiver of the GOP who in 2002 <a href="http://www.oilwatchdog.org/articles/?storyId=22039">taught the Bush Administration </a>to say that drilling for oil is just "exploration" and global warming is just "climate change." Now comes his <a href="http://www.politico.com/static/PPM116_luntz.html">new treatise</a> on how the GOP can kill health reform with perfect messaging. Yet the most striking statement is this: "We suggest ratcheting up the rhetoric against insurance companies to almost the same degree as you do against Washington bureaucracy." Even the guy who made global warming sound tame can't see anything good about insurance companies. </p>

$2 Gas Flows Again In State Summer Driving Season, Blend Changeover Cited

May 7, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The Arkansas average price for regular gasoline topped $2 on Wednesday for the first time in more than six months. Demand for gasoline nationally was down another 1 percent last month, said Judy Dugan, researcher for Consumer Watchdog. "Yet prices are being shoved up by market speculation on nothing but hope that people will drive more," she added.

California Legislators Hire Pals, Ex-Colleagues With No Bidding

May 4, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Doug Heller of Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit group that monitors Capitol spending, said politicians only increase public cynicism when they appear to play favorites. "I just wish that elected officials would understand how important it is for them to reconnect with the public rather than constantly make choices that raise questions," Heller said.<br /> </p>

Costco Settles ‘Fair Fuel’ Lawsuit

April 27, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> NEW YORK, NY -- Costco last week agreed to settle a lawsuit over the sale of hot gasoline -- gasoline above 60 degrees that expands, but is not accounted for at the pumps, resulting in consumers receiving less gasoline than they pay for. </p>

Change, But Not Resolution, Since Big West Refinery’s Shutdown

April 25, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Now that the refinery is idle except for basic maintenance and safety operations, other refineries have been able to bridge the gap, said Susanne Garfield, spokeswoman for the state Energy Commission. But Judy Dugan, research director of Santa Monica's Consumer Watchdog, said that could change. "When the economy recovers... demand is going to go up, especially for diesel," she said. </p>

Costco Gas Prices Will Be Adjusted For Heat Expansion

April 23, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Costco Wholesale Inc. has agreed to install new gasoline pumps at stores in California and 13 other states that will adjust prices when fuel temperatures rise above the industry standard of 60 degrees. "This is fantastic news for consumers," said Judy Dugan, research director of Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica-based advocacy group. "Costco is taking the lead in offering drivers gasoline that has the same amount of energy in every gallon, living up to its reputation as a consumer-friendly place to shop."<br />