CSAC has been actively tracking and advocating on the development
of Investor Owned Utility (IOU) Public Safety Power Shutdown
(PSPS) policy for the past year through multiple regulatory
processes, and through advocacy in the Legislature and the state
budget process.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has opened an
investigation to examine recent Public Safety Power Shut-off
(PSPS) events and ensure utilities are held accountable for their
actions during these events. The formal investigation will assess
whether the state’s investor-owned electric utilities (IOUs)
properly balanced the need to provide safe and reliable service
when planning and executing their recent PSPS events. Initiating
this investigation is one of several actions the CPUC is taking
in response to recent PSPS events.
CSAC thanks all the counties that recently responded to our
request for information regarding October Public Safety Power
Shutdown (PSPS) events. CSAC will continue to accept any
information from counties regarding PSPS costs on a rolling
basis. Information that you provide will help CSAC continue to
advocate for resources to help mitigate future impacts of PSPS
events. CSAC will gladly take information related to the
following questions or any other information related to a county
PSPS experience.
CSAC thanks all the counties that recently responded to our
request for information regarding October Public Safety Power
Shutdown (PSPS) events. CSAC will continue to accept any
information from counties regarding PSPS costs, as the
information you provide will help CSAC continue to advocate for
resources to help mitigate future impacts of PSPS events. CSAC
will gladly take information related to the following questions
or any other information related to a county PSPS experience.
CSAC engaged with Cal OES this week to work with counties
impacted by this week’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)
events. CSAC worked with state leaders to host a series of
conference calls to facilitate dialogue and answer questions with
the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs), local governments and state
leaders. The PSPS events began on Wednesday and are expected to
last potentially through the weekend, in some areas due to high
wind events, and red flag warnings.
It has been a busy year on regulatory front for counties, with a
number of rule-makings on a variety of different issues moving
forward. In addition to representing counties in front of the
Legislature, part of CSAC’s core mission is to see through the
implementation of laws and actively represent county interests as
regulations impacting local government are developed.
On Friday September 13, CSAC held a meeting in
Sacramento with key stakeholders, including supervisors and
senior staff from around the state, regarding public safety
power shutdowns (PSPS). The meeting included representatives from
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison
(SCE), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE), the California Public
Utilities Commission (CPUC), Governor’s Office of Emergency
Services (CAL OES), Napa, Mendocino, Riverside, San Diego and
Sonoma Counties.
CSAC has tracked dozens of bills related to wildfire and
emergency management throughout the legislative session. There
are nine bills remaining that could be passed off the floor of
the Legislature and potentially to the Governor’s desk during the
final weeks of session.
The Legislature has recently introduced two general obligation
bonds that could be on the 2020 statewide ballot. The bonds are
generally aimed at supporting improvements in wildfire
resiliency, water quality, groundwater, environmental restoration
and flood protection. These measures are not expected to be
adopted during the final weeks of this legislative session, but
are expected to be discussed in greater detail in the second year
of the legislative session. CSAC is working with the authors of
these measures and will continue to work with them over the fall.
CSAC’s Senior Legislative Representative, Cara Martinson met with
several legislators as part of a major lobbying day effort on
SB 54 (Allen) /
AB 1080 (Gonzalez). These two measures are companion bills
that would require the adoption of regulations requiring covered
entities to reduce the waste associated with single use packaging
and products 75 percent by 2030.
