Governor Brown has walked the world speaking out against climate change. But an exhaustive review of his Administration's actions shows they've often helped oil, gas and utility companies at the expense of the environment and the consumer, and that contributions from the companies often followed.
The much awaited hearing in the Senate Utilities, Energy and Communications Committee this morning was largely a dud, but it offered some key admissions by the utilities and energy regulators.
Despite widespread warnings to the contrary, in the report issued by energy regulators and So Cal Gas that was the subject of the hearing, there will be no blackouts this summer due to Aliso's closure.
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.
Misrepresentations and omissions in a state report that falsely threatens blackouts if Aliso Canyon's gas reserve stays closed need to be addressed. CPUC President Michael Picker has some explaining to do.
Here’s a news flash that’s probably causing a lot of sleepless nights among Governor Brown’s inner circle: The central figure in the PUC corruption scandal, PG&E lobbyist Brian Cherry, is now a witness for the US government, in the case against PG&E over the San Bruno explosion.
Before the federal case against PG&E over San Bruno was delayed, the witness list turned over by the Justice Department included Cherry as one of its own witnesses.