PG&E plant.
CITY ENERGY PLAN
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September 19, 2002 an important hearing was held at City Hall in San Francisco. Supervisors Chris Daly chaired the meeting with Mark Leno and Sophia Maxwell also present.
I listened very carefully to the presentation by the San Francisco Department of the Energy ( SF DOE) and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SF PUC). I also listened very carefully to the constituents of the City and County of San Francisco - the citizens. I was most attentive when I heard the comments of the mothers who explained very painfully how their children suffer from asthma, cancer and other respiratory health issues. There is no doubt that these old power plants both the PG&E situated at Hunters Point and the Mirant situated at Potrero should both be closed down. They are out dated and spew pollutants every second. For too long over 40 years too many constituents living in the Southeast Sector have died. Those who are in charge and those who can make the changes for progress - should NOT allow more infants, children, and adults to die. Enough is enough. The City Energy Plan is a start in the right direction but it lacks in time line actualization and professional leadership. There are many electrical, mechanical engineers, and environmental experts who see many loopholes and gaps. A faulty document. The Raker Act of 1913 assured that the City and County of San Francisco and the Bay Area get clean drinking water. It also assured us that we could sustain ourselves with hydro-electricity from the Hetch Hetchy Project. The Hetch Hetchy Valley belonged to the Native Americans. Without any compensation the valley was flooded. The Miwoks were told to take a hike - and the rich and powerful in San Francisco had their day. On the day the valley flooded - there was much crying and weeping. Over the years the City did some good with our clean drinking water. With our electricity the City and County of San Franciso failed. It is wrong to sell electricity that should be used in San Francisco to entities that the Raker Act had NO intention to serve, no thought - when the Act was passed. As the years went by the City Fathers made deals with PG&E. The City was held ransom by PG&E. Today, with the fiasco reigning with Power Companies - the City and County of San Francisco has realized that it failed and in failing miserably - it has made its constituents suffer. City constituents have to pay higher rates because of lack of Accountability and Transparency. It is a shame that the City Fathers years ago all White chose to plant the power plants in the Southeast Sector. Now, it is time that clean energy plants (if there is anything like that) be built in other neighborhoods. We could have some in the Marina, Pacific Heights, Bernal Heights, in the middle of Golden Gate Park, on San Francisco Port Property, Executive Park, in the Castro - you get the picture. The City Energy Plan is a "PLAN" in the making and in need of investigation and probing. Some times we think if some one from the San Francisco Department of Energy speaks or some cool talker from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission opens his mouth all is well. Beware of wolves in sheep clothing! Far from it - the S.F. DOE and the S.F. PUC are very poor planners and many of their projects have been blatant failures. They have the support of a corrupt Mayor and they also have the support of a system that has NO WATCHDOG. Their leaders earn huge salaries not so much to serve the public but to serve their egos and there pocket. The City Energy Plan should first address the state of toxins in the air, water and on the land. To date we do not have detail data - hour to hour with a five-mile distance from any power plant - data taken from various fixed sites on a regular basis. The City Energy Plan does not state how it will address the Independent Systems Operator (ISO). In fact the ISO officials have told me that the City officials and SF PUC - cannot influence them to change legal language and contracts that are signed in concrete. The ISO will listen and nod and do nothing much. Their main purpose is to fulfill the obligation that comes within their purview - mostly making money for Power Plants. Most of these City planners and decision-makers could not care less about poor infants dying. Much less about youth from any minority community. The verbosity written by Independent Systems Operator (ISO) is pathetic. I have read the language and the legal language used is so convoluted - that the language gives the Power companies - all the power - no pun intended. The Community Based Organizations, the Community political activists, some Environmental Organizations cannot bring the ISO to the table - and have anything in writing. Right now the old PG&E plant will be in operation until 2008. Most anyone will tell you 2005. The Mayor, Willie Brown said he would shut it down in 1998. On another level in 1998 the California Power Plants were fined over 47 million dollars. These were mitigation fines. San Francisco received $13.5 million to mitigate the adverse affects suffered by those constituents in the Hunters Point and Bayview. It is a shame that millions of dollars have been given to so called Environmental Organizations who have misused the money. A probe by the Department of Justice is called for. The blood of innocent infants and children cry for justice --while these so called Environmental Organizations look the other way and shy from the reality of so many deaths. It is a shame how money can influence crooks to make money even when they know innocent infants, children and adults are dying from pollution not only from Power Plants - but from diesel emissions, asbestos dust, lead, methane gas, PCBs, and so on. The City Energy Plan has brought people to address a situation because it has to find a solution. It is imperative that the City Energy Plan has as its foundation - Transparency and Accountability. It is imperative that we have good leadership. More, that we have the experts lead the way to help the majority of the people. To be compassionate and not allow innocent infants, youth, and adults to die. The S.F. DOE and the S.F. PUC think they can fool the people all of the time - in fact they will inherit the WRATH of the constituents of City and County of San Francisco. |
