July 30, 2007

Opinion-StopThem.org

THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITES COMMISSION IS POWER HUNGRY

Just five people have control over California’s Energy, Rail Safety & Carriers, Telecommunications, and Water rates and operating conditions as permitted by state law. Increasingly, the public is shocked by their behavior in promoting the Wind Industry and its inefficient delivery of electrical power. Power the State doesn’t need and cannot utilize, so much of it will be sold off to other states according to experts.

Bouquet Canyon and surrounding community residents who attended a February, 2007 CPUC Hearing regarding the proposed Transmission Line hazard to their area said they were taken-back by the arrogance, self-congratulatory nature and ignorance of the Renewable Energy subjects upon which this Commission acted. Those in attendance came away with the suspicion this group cares more about their own power as an agency and as individuals than they do about what is good for the public. Reportedly, the CPUC is fighting for supremacy over the Federal Government’s more comprehensive plan for energy corridors throughout the nation and the eleven western states, the West-Wide Energy Corridor.

The apparent backroom dealings with the US Forest Service, Southern California Edison (SCE) and the CPUC smack of a giant conflict of interest, some say. The Federal plan is said to be more comprehensive than the flawed and un-vetted CPUC routes. The Feds are planning to follow existing corridors. The CPUC seems to be on a tear to establish new corridors. Why? Power? Money? Time will tell. Those investigating have not yet found any other motivation for the described as negligent and hazardous placement of Transmission Lines other than an arbitrary desire to get them established ahead of the Federal Government plan – and damn the consequences.

The joint CPUC, USFS and SCE project is flawed with misleading maps , misleading and confusing notices to the property owners specifically harmed by the placement of new 500kV Transmission Lines through the Angeles National Forest. These Lines are proposed to go through endangered species habitat, over residents’ private property and above over 100 forest inholder cabins. The cabins and private homes and ranches were left off of all project planning maps as thought they did not exist. The Final EIR/EIS Report states that fires that breakout in Bouquet Canyon cannot be suppressed in proximity to the new Lines and that structures such as the 100+ cabins will be at significant risk.

CPUC COMMISSIONERS

ARROGANT, SMUG AND POWER MAD?

Michael R. Peevy, President

Diane M. Grueneich

John Bohn

Rachelle Chong

Timothy Alan Simon

A critical Federal date the CPUC may be trying to beat is August 8, 2007:

Section 368 1. Mandated by Congress 1. No later than August 8, 2007, complete Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for 11 Western States.

The official party line of the California Energy Commission and the CPUC is that their role is: “to ensure that the state's energy and infrastructure needs, renewable generation policy goals, and environmental concerns are considered in the PEIS.”

The truth may be, they don’t want the federal government messing in their schemes, public be damned. – ed.