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Super Tuesday For Aliso Canyon

Submitted by Jamie Court on Sat, 05/07/2016 - 09:41

At 9:30 AM on Tuesday the California Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee will examine whether So Cal Gas and state energy regulators rigged a report claiming there would be blackouts in LA if Aliso Canyon's natural gas storage stays off line.
 
The hearings have the potential to pull the curtain back on who really wrote the report (So Cal Gas?)  and whether the public was misled.  
 

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Harris Lets Statute Of Limitations On San Onofre Lapse, Defends Brown

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Fri, 05/06/2016 - 14:17

California Attorney General Kamala Harris had evidence in her hands that she could have used to bring former PUC President Michael Peevey, architect of the secret San Onofre deal, to justice. And she had plenty of time, three years, to file criminal charges before the statute of limitations ran out on obstruction of justice--the easiest charge to prove.

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$14 Billion Cost of Exxon Refinery Outage Makes Case for New Refinery Regulations

Submitted by Jamie Court on Fri, 05/06/2016 - 10:02

A study by the Rand Institute puts in perspective the need for new oil refinery regulations that the oil industry has long resisted. The Rand pegs the year-plus Exxon Torrance refinery outage as the most expensive in California history, costing consumers an extra $2.4 billion at the pump in the first 6 months alone and taking a $6.9 billion bite out of the state economy.
 

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Meth and Medicine: What Patients Deserve To Know About Their Doctors

Submitted by Carmen Balber on Thu, 05/05/2016 - 12:04

UPDATE Saturday May 9 -- Those watching Friday's Medical Board meeting from home can be excused for coming away thinking they are champions of patient safety. Members said so often enough.  But true to form, the Board stuck with doctors' interests when they voted to support SB 1177 and take a neutral if amended stance on SB 1033.

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Regulators Jumping Toxic Ship

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Thu, 04/28/2016 - 11:14

Senior managers and mid-level workhorse staff are leaving the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) in droves as its director, Barbara Lee, stonewalls the independent review panel created to help lawmakers reform the dysfunctional agency.

Just this week, the agency lost its hazardous waste management program deputy who stayed in the job for barely 18 months. In recent months, its legislative director, chief counsel, site mitigation deputy, civil rights officer, and chief deputy director have either left or been asked to do so.

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