Investigation

Will Little Hoover compel green-energy testimony?

Here’s the 13,000-megawatt question to be answered in 2015: Will the Little Hoover Commission begin issuing subpoenas in 2015 to compel Gov. Jerry Brown and California legislative leaders to meet green energy accountability requirements spelled out in its 2012 report, “Rewiring

Oil tech for CA: From Russia, with love?

Wayne Lusvardi December 30, 2014

On Jan. 1 California’s fracking law drills in – just as the price of oil has dropped to its lowest levels of recent years. And just as something new from Russia, Plasma Pulse Technology, may make fracking superfluous. Senate Bill

Report finds inaccuracies in Covered CA doctor lists

Dave Roberts December 23, 2014

What good is medical insurance if you can’t find a doctor? A recent investigation by the California Department of Managed Health Care found a quarter of the doctors listed in the provider directories for two of California’s top Affordable Care Act insurance plans

Why green power won’t replace nukes

Wayne Lusvardi December 17, 2014

Last year Southern California Edison mothballed its 2.3 gigawatt San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. As CalWatchdog.com reported at the time, the actual reason probably was mechanical defects caused from retrofitting the plant to ramp up and down rapidly to

Green power shocking big utilities

Greg Karraker December 10, 2014

Peter Rumble, an outgoing Sonoma County administrator, recently announced the formation of California Clean Power, a new private company where he serves as CEO. According to Rumble, the mission of CCP is “to provide cleaner power at a lower cost

Tax board criticized for delays

Dave Roberts December 10, 2014

California’s Franchise Tax Board is taking too long to complete audits and resolve taxpayers’ refund claims, protests and appeals, costing businesses hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the California Taxpayers Association. Gina Rodriquez, vice president of state tax

Oil taxes fuel state budget

Wayne Lusvardi December 4, 2014

The group Californians Against Fracking seeks to eliminate oil and gas drilling by hydraulic fracturing methods, called “fracking,” statewide in California. A post-election article by David Atkins in the Washington Monthly, and cross-posted on the CAF website, lamented the defeat of Measure P

Hoover Dam low water to double water costs to SoCal

Wayne Lusvardi November 28, 2014

California is facing yet another drought-caused water and energy shortage from an unexpected source. Hoover Dam’s hydroelectric power may have to be curtailed if the water level drops below 1,000 feet, an elevation it last reached in May 1936, when

Is CA prepared for Ebola?

Dave Roberts November 26, 2014

The Ebola virus has yet to hit California, but it’s likely coming, according to state health officials. They say the state is prepared, but nurses on the health care front lines aren’t so sure. “Given the spread of Ebola

CA green energy market snags on price glitch

Wayne Lusvardi November 18, 2014

Call it a green-energy glitch. Central planning of California’s green-energy market has run into a price glitch with the launching of its Energy Imbalance Market, which was meant to balance solar power and natural gas power at dusk each day. California’s