Consumer Watchdog

Two Barrels of Oil Per Day Is All Drillers Extract from Community Wells, Making Case For New Law For $10K Per Day Fine, says Consumer Watchdog

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024
Sentinel, Consumer Watchdog, Health, Risk, School, F-150, Hospital, Research, Cancer, Ford, Birth, Energy Information Administration, Asthma, Aera Energy, California State Assembly, Multimedia, Jamie Court, Oil

"With oil at less than $80 per barrel, oil drillers are putting the health of communities at risk for less than $150 per day."

Key Points: 
  • "With oil at less than $80 per barrel, oil drillers are putting the health of communities at risk for less than $150 per day."
  • FracTracker Alliance found that overall statewide oil production averages 3.3 barrels per day per well based on CalGEM data for 2022.
  • An onshore well that produces between 1,000 and 3,000 barrels of oil a day is considered a good production range .
  • "The average community well's two barrel of oil output is not even enough to fuel four Ford F-150 trucks."

Consumers Who Harden Homes to Reduce Wildfire Risk Must Have a Right to Buy Insurance, Consumer Watchdog to Testify before Little Hoover Commission

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Consumer Watchdog, Little Hoover Commission, Public records, Risk, Insurance, FAIR, Multimedia, Proposition 103, Legislation, Wildfire

Mandatory coverage for homeowners who do the right thing is the only option to quickly get Californians insured again, Balber will testify.

Key Points: 
  • Mandatory coverage for homeowners who do the right thing is the only option to quickly get Californians insured again, Balber will testify.
  • "Appeasing the insurance industry has failed to protect consumers' access to home insurance in California," said Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber.
  • The added bonus will be depopulating the FAIR Plan to help stabilize the finances of the state's insurer of last resort."
  • The only consumer benefit of the plan was a supposed "commitment" by insurers to increase insurance sales in wildfire areas.

Government Prosecutors Seek to Protect the "Privacy" of City Officials Entangled in Web of Corruption Related to DWP Billing Scandal, Says Consumer Watchdog

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 25, 2024
Consumer Watchdog, Hurst, Crime, Commissioner, Application, Name, District court, City attorney, Private law, Record, Weeping Angel, Lawyer, USAO, FBI, DWP, Multimedia, Privacy, Government, Court, Hearing, Blood, Private investigator

In their Response Brief, government prosecutors argued that City officials who were investigated by the FBI but ultimately not charged with a crime should have their names redacted to protect their privacy and related interests.

Key Points: 
  • In their Response Brief, government prosecutors argued that City officials who were investigated by the FBI but ultimately not charged with a crime should have their names redacted to protect their privacy and related interests.
  • Ultimately, four City officials were sentenced in connection with the DWP scandal.
  • However, significant questions remain about the roles other key officials played in the City's misconduct, including former City Attorney Mike Feuer.
  • Critics ask why certain individuals — including high-ranking personnel in the city attorney's office who remain unidentified in prosecutors' public court filings — escaped punishment."

Bill Introduced to Charge Low-Producing Oil Wells in Community Setback Zones $10K Per Day, Says Consumer Watchdog

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Well, Life, Consumer Watchdog, Health, Energy Information Administration, Multimedia, Poisoning, Running, Legislation, Cancer

AB 2716, the Low-Producing Well Accountability Act, takes aim at wells in these dangerous zones that are adding significantly to these health risks while producing only insignificant amounts of oil.

Key Points: 
  • AB 2716, the Low-Producing Well Accountability Act, takes aim at wells in these dangerous zones that are adding significantly to these health risks while producing only insignificant amounts of oil.
  • "Oil drillers would rather keep these low production wells running and poisoning communities than pay the cost to plug them," said Assemblymember Isaac Bryan.
  • An onshore well that produces between 1,000 and 3,000 barrels of oil a day is considered a good production range .
  • Considering that 83% of the active oil wells in California are operating as stripper wells, AB 2716 has the potential to positively impact community health across the state.

20+ Groups Including Consumer Watchdog Decry CA Oil Refiners' Average $1 Per Gallon Profit Margin In 2023, Call On CEC To Implement Price Gouging Penalty By Summer To Avoid More Gouging

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 18, 2024
Electricity, Consumer Watchdog, Health, Climate change, Social responsibility, Environment, Letter, Government, Policy, Friends of the Earth, Biophysical environment, Gasoline, Elected, Mother, Climate Alliance, Consumer, Poverty, Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Working Group, Running, Buck, Food, Working Families Party, CEC, Atmosphere, Working group, Biodiversity, Physician, Friends, Multimedia, Propane

Today, the CEC will hold a Pre-Rulemaking Workshop on a price gouging penalty as directed by SBX1 2.

Key Points: 
  • Today, the CEC will hold a Pre-Rulemaking Workshop on a price gouging penalty as directed by SBX1 2.
  • "California oil refiners reported to their investors that their operating and other costs of running their refineries are between 20 and 30 cents per gallon.
  • California oil refiners are keeping between 70 and 80 cents off every gallon of gas sold as pure profit….The buck stops this summer."
  • Implementing a price gouging penalty is integral to ending greedy oil prices, and protecting frontline communities from taking another hit."

As Drafted, Insurance Commissioner's Proposed Rules for Insurance Catastrophe Models Preserve Secrecy of Black Box Models

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Consumer Watchdog, Organization, Commissioner, Science, Bias, NDA, Confidentiality, Multimedia, Proposition 103

LOS ANGELES, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement about the proposed catastrophe modeling rules released by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today.

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement about the proposed catastrophe modeling rules released by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today.
  • "Black box catastrophe models are notoriously contradictory and unreliable, which is why public review and transparency are key before insurance companies are allowed to use them to raise rates.
  • Commissioner Lara's proposed rule appears drafted to limit the information available to the public about the impact of models on rates in violation of Proposition 103.
  • Read Consumer Watchdog's testimony before the July and September 2023 catastrophe modeling workshops at the Department of Insurance.

Consumer Alert: The Medical Board of California Will Now Accept Patient Impact Statements from Families When Their Complaints are Investigated

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Complaint, Roger Hawkins (drummer), Multimedia, Physician, California Franchise Tax Board, Consumer Alert, Letter, Consumer Watchdog, Death, Patient, Public key certificate, Interview, Nursing

California patients and their families will have the opportunity to provide a patient impact statement once their complaint to the board has been referred for investigation.

Key Points: 
  • California patients and their families will have the opportunity to provide a patient impact statement once their complaint to the board has been referred for investigation.
  • The Patient Impact Statement is one of the new patient rights that Consumer Watchdog's volunteer team of advocates advocated for at the Medical Board and won in last year's medical board sunset review bill SB 815 (Roth).
  • The Medical Board will request that complainants submit a Patient Impact Statement once their complaint is referred to investigation.
  • Starting January one, any person whose complaint is newly referred for investigation can submit a patient impact statement to the medical board.

New Consumer Alert Exposes Deceptive Oil Industry Attack On Governor Newsom

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 23, 2024
Consumer Watchdog, Gasoline, Jamie Court, Court, Energy independence, Multimedia, Gavin Newsom, Petroleum

"This phony ad claims to be from a group called Californians for Energy Independence," said Consumer Watchdog president Jamie Court.

Key Points: 
  • "This phony ad claims to be from a group called Californians for Energy Independence," said Consumer Watchdog president Jamie Court.
  • Why is Chevron angry at Governor Newsom?
  • "And Chevron doesn't like the law Governor Newsom signed to prevent oil drillers from drilling too close to homes and communities," Court continued.
  • The alert concluded by warning the public, "Governor Newsom is standing up for community health and against gasoline price gouging.

Consumer Watchdog and the Los Angeles Times Petition Federal Court to Release FBI Warrants Related to LA City Attorney and LA DWP Corruption

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Weeping Angel, Blood, City attorney, Hearing, Multimedia, Special, Record, Special counsel, Lawsuit, Consumer Watchdog, Application, Hurst, FBI, Lawyer, DWP

One City Attorney official, Thomas Peters, was sentenced to 9 months of home detention, and two DWP officials pled guilty.

Key Points: 
  • One City Attorney official, Thomas Peters, was sentenced to 9 months of home detention, and two DWP officials pled guilty.
  • However, significant questions remain about the roles other key officials played in the City's misconduct, including former City Attorney Mike Feuer.
  • "The public has a right to know what top City officials did while performing their public duties."
  • Critics ask why certain individuals — including high-ranking personnel in the city attorney's office who remain unidentified in prosecutors' public court filings — escaped punishment."

Friedman Introduces Consumer Watchdog Sponsored Bill to Hold Oil Drillers Financially Liable for Harm Caused by Their Drilling

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
AB, Weapon, Nalleli Cobo, Sierra Club, Hearing, Multimedia, CALPIRG, Cancer, Birth, Food, Water, Pollution, Asthma, Parent, Assembly, Environment California, Risk, Consumer Watchdog, Health, Center for Biological Diversity, Legislation, Food & Water Watch, Environment, Community, Biodiversity

Under AB 3155, oil drillers could face penalties ranging from $250,000 to a $1 million.

Key Points: 
  • Under AB 3155, oil drillers could face penalties ranging from $250,000 to a $1 million.
  • These penalties can be challenged and rebutted by the drilling companies if the companies can prove the illnesses were caused another way.
  • Oil drillers that don't use the best technology to protect communities from toxic leaks need to be accountable to the communities they harm," said Assemblymember Friedman.
  • "If oil drillers don't want to invest in the most protective technology to drill, they should face legal accountability to the families they harm."