Orange Overpowers Opposition! Next Up: CPUC Vote Feb. 28

UPDATE: THE CPUC VOTE HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED (FOR A 4TH TIME) TO THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28.  CONTINUE TO PHONE/EMAIL THE CPUC.

AT THE FEB. 1 CPUC PUBLIC FORUM, over one hundred citizens voiced their opposition to Quail Brush and their support for the CPUC’s draft decision denying SDG&E a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for three fossil fuel plants. Orange overpowered the opposition and clearly stated the lack of necessity for these new polluting plants in the San Diego area. Check out the Highlights — videos, news articles, quotes, and photos below.

YOU CAN STILL CALL OR EMAIL THE CPUC TODAY.
“I support the Administrative Law Judge’s decision and Commissioner Ferron’s decision on SDG&E application A110-5023.”
Phone before the Wed. Feb. 28 vote:
Michael Peevey, President, 415-703-3703
Catherine Sandoval, Commissioner, 415-703-3700
Michel Peter Florio, Commissioner, 415-703-2440
Mark Ferron, Commissioner, 415-703-2444
Carla Peterman, Commissioner, 415-703-1407
and/or Email public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
Include in the Subject Line: A1105023 – Support the Proposed Decision. Be sure to INCLUDE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, CITY, ZIP to be counted.
Feel free to copy and use Talking Points from the Sierra Club’s Fact Check: SDG&E’s Billion Dollar Power Plant Scheme or Save Mission Trails sample letter (scroll to mid-page).

NEXT UP:  CPUC MTG/VOTE – WED, FEB. 28, 9:00 AM – San Francisco
Again on the agenda is the vote on the CPUC’s proposed decision to deny SDG&E power purchasing agreements for Quail Brush and two other gas plants. Click link for directions to listen in or watch the live video.  Here is the agenda: see page 25, Item 24, A1105023. Prepare now to watch the video by trying to watch an archived video. You needRealPlayer installed to watch CPUC videos. You can download RealPlayer for free here.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CPUC PUBLIC FORUM in San Diego on Feb. 1
Save Mission Trails applauds the elected officials who showed up and spoke up against Quail Brush (Mission Trails/Santee) and Pio Pico (Chula Vista) gas plants:

– San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts
– Santee Councilmember
Jack Dale
– Former state assemblymember (and current Sierra Club San Diego Chair) Lori Saldaña,
and SMT thanks these organizations which helped organize and/or added their strong voices:
Environmental Health Coalition (wearing blue), Preserve Wild Santee, Sierra Club, and the Coalition to Decommission San Onofre.

NEWS CLIPS – VIDEOS
YouTube Video: Fox, Ch.8, Ch.10
CBS Ch.8
and NEWS ARTICLES
East County Magazine
San Diego Union-Tribune
Santee Patch

OVERHEARD AT THE PODIUM at the CPUC Forum
“San Diego already has the highest electricity rates in the country: $190 per 100 kilowatt hours. We want to be known as the clean energy capital instead.”

“Peaker plants would not have helped us when the grid was down in 2011.”

“San Diegans should not be punished for conserving energy.”

“California is known for innovation. San Diego is known for sun. The time is now.”

“Quail Brush and Pio Pico were quietly going through the CEC permitting process BEFORE the CPUC even determined a need.”

“San Diego has 7,000 megawatts of potential energy from rooftop and parking lot solar.”

“Where’s my Power Purchase Agreement for solar generation?”

“A policy change could change civilization. What we are leaving for our children?”

“The corporatocracy is short-sidedly pursuing profits while you and I pay the costs: decreased jobs by 10 solar to 1 peaker plant, and increased health problems, utility rates, and global warming gases.”

“Where is SDG&E tonight? Why was the decision delayed? Do they have another game going on that they don’t need to be here?”

and, the favorite, “I’m not against peaker plants. I just put a twenty-two-panel peaker plant on my roof!”

You can add your own comments here and check back after Feb. 28 for updates!