Energy

Oil pipeline spills up to 105,000 gallons along Santa Barbara coast

Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Santa Barbara County in light of an oil spill near Refugio State Beach, reported on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. “This emergency proclamation cuts red tape and helps the state quickly mobilize

Will Brown’s brown lawns cause brownouts for summer 2015?

Wayne Lusvardi May 20, 2015

On April 1, Gov. Jerry Brown ordered mandatory 25 percent cutbacks in urban water usage over the next nine months due to the prolonged water shortage in the state’s surface water reservoirs. In response, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said

Utah coal controversy hits CA Bay Area

James Poulos May 2, 2015

Hard up for a sizable market, Utah’s coal producers have inked a big new deal to use Oakland’s deep-water port to ship their product to Asia. “Terminal Logistics will start building the $250 million Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal at

VIDEO: Republicans can be environmentalists, too

CalWatchdog Staff April 29, 2015

In a conversation with CalWatchdog.com Editor Brian Calle, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer discusses the importance of preserving the environment and why it should not be a partisan issue. During the interview, Mayor Faulconer highlights the environment as our quality

CA will struggle to meet key energy goal of governor

Chris Reed April 25, 2015

A Hoover Institution scholar continues to provide a fresh take on the state of California’s energy policies, highlighting their hidden agendas and examining their feasibility. Previously, a CalWatchdog.com story covered Carson Bruno’s research showing that the state of California has far

Bill simplifies tiered utility rates

Wayne Lusvardi April 23, 2015

Now that the $42 billion bill for the 2001 California Energy Crisis has been paid off, California’s current four price tiers for electricity will be flattened to two tiers over the next four years. Environmentalists who advocated for cleaning up

Credibility crisis comes as PUC faces tough decisions

Chris Reed April 23, 2015

The recent series of scandals involving the California Public Utiities Commission hang like a pall over the regulatory agency. Recently deposed PUC President Michael Peevey’s swapping of favors with Pacific Gas & Electric and his surreptitious work with Southern California