The Russian front
Fight to reduce California's fossil fuel dependence has wide implications

By Matthew Hirsch

Environmental activists in eastern Russia are joining a local push for clean, renewable energy as part of an effort to block California regulators from authorizing long-term natural gas contracts for the state's big three electric utilities.

The natural gas contracts would undermine attempts in San Francisco and other communities across the state to sign up independent providers of solar and wind power. In places like Sakhalin Island, off the Pacific Coast of Russia, they would likely mean new drilling for gas reserves.

That's great news for global energy companies that are trying to develop an export industry for natural gas in liquefied form, but it's disastrous for the endangered Western Pacific gray whale, which makes its home in the marine habitat off Sakhalin Island. The California Public Utilities Commission, which approved a compromise agreement on natural gas contracts just last month, votes on the long-term contracts Jan. 8.

Environmental and public interest groups, including Greenpeace USA, Public Citizen, Pacific Environment, and Oakland-based Local Power, formed the Ratepayers for Affordable Green Energy coalition to oppose the natural gas contracts at the CPUC. They say the long-term investments in natural gas would reverse energy policies that have made California a leader in environmental protection. And because of the volatile natural gas market, the decision may prove more costly than the recent $8 billion public bailout of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Local Power director Paul Fenn told the Bay Guardian.

"The time for renewables is here. We know how to do it. It just needs political and financial backing," Pacific Environment communications coordinator Rory Cox told us. "You don't do that by continuing to invest in fossil fuels. The sooner we can level off our need for fossil fuels, the less we will need to import it from places like Sakhalin Island."

Pacific Environment usually directs its efforts on Sakhalin Island at Russian president Vladimir Putin and energy industry executives, but Cox said the CPUC's decision on natural gas contracts could open the island's gas reserves to a vast new market in California alone. Cox visited the CPUC Dec. 18 with RAGE to tell commissioners about Sakhalin Island.

CPUC president Michael Peevey acknowledged the opposition to the long-term contracts (nobody spoke in support of them) but gave no indication that it would change his position. California is required by law to use 20 percent renewable energy by 2017, and the state's energy action plan calls for 20 percent renewables by 2010, he said.

"[That] may not meet your goals," Peevey told RAGE, "but the state has commenced down that path."

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In other energy news, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is holding a public hearing on the PG&E blackout that left one third of the city without power Dec. 20 through 21.

Newly appointed SFPUC commissioner Adam Werbach called for the hearing, which takes place Jan. 13, 1:30 p.m., City Hall, Room 400, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, S.F.

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