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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
California voters overwhelmingly expressed strong concern about excessive skyrocketing utility bills.
By a strong majority, California residents ask that lawmakers rein in rate increases and protect consumers:
• 82% of California voters are concerned about the cost of their monthly electric bill.
• 79% of California voters agree the government should do more to limit price increases.
• 93% of California voters agree utilities should not charge customers for wasteful spending, including lobbying, PR, and marketing campaigns.
• 91% of California voters support ending excessive utility profits to cut consumer costs.
• 80% of Gen Z Voters agree fossil fuel companies should pay for rising electricity bills.
“It is clear from the polling data that California residents expect their elected representatives to take action now, and pass legislation that will limit utility overspending, trim record-breaking corporate profits, support public financing to reduce long-term costs, and provide short-term ratepayer relief,” said Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network.
The polling data follows multiple, egregious rate hikes from California’s major for-profit utilities, who touted excessive profits while customers struggled to make ends meet.
PG&E, who had six rate hikes in 2024, enjoyed a 10% increase in profits from 2023 to 2024, similar to SoCalEdison who enjoyed a 9.8% profit increase from the year prior.
Advocates point to wasteful spending and misuse of ratepayer funds as a key source of high utility bills — issues advocates hope will be remedied by new legislation.
“California families are being further spun into an affordability crisis while for-profit utilities continue to hike up rates to increase shareholder profits. Consumers have footed the cost of utility overspending and misuse of ratepayer funds for too long. As the climate crisis worsens and extreme weather becomes more frequent, equitable access to affordable power is especially important. Now, California voters are demanding lawmakers deliver on their promises to prioritize electricity affordability by reining in utility profits and protecting consumers,” said Mary Creasman, chief executive officer of California Environmental Voters.
The Utility Reform Network, or TURN, and EnviroVoters are supporting the Campaign for Affordable Power bill package:
• AB 1167 (Berman, Addis) Prohibits utility misspending of ratepayer dollars.
• AB 1020 (Schiavo): Prevents double-charging and boosts accountability.
• SB 636 (Menjivar): Provides hardship deferments to vulnerable customers.
• SB 330 (Padilla): Promotes alternative financing for transmission to reduce costs.
• SB 24 (McNerney): Prohibits for-profit Investor owned utilities from undermining local establishment of municipal utility districts.
It’s not too late for lawmakers to honor their commitments on affordability, and make proper strides to protect consumers. The polling data sends a clear message to lawmakers and legislative leaders: California voters need affordable power and utility accountability.
Detailed polling results and analysis can be found at https://www.turn.org/campaign-for-affordable-power-cap.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Officials said this development strengthens California’s ability to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world.
Last year, California became the first state in the nation to own, operate, and deploy a C-130H airtanker for wildfire suppression. The first C-130H was a critical part of the state’s firefight in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Since it went into operation, the tanker has flown 90 missions responding to 36 fires and dropping 253,702 gallons of retardant.
Tanker 121, a former United States Coast Guard aircraft, was officially placed into Cal Fire service on Thursday after undergoing precise and critical modifications.
This is the second of seven planned C-130H airtankers, and is a mission-critical asset in an era of increased year-round wildfire frequency and intensity.
These large-capacity, highly specialized aircraft deliver significant volumes of fire retardant in a single mission, enhancing Cal Fire’s ability to protect communities and natural resources.
Gov. Gavin Newsom — in partnership with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Representative Ken Calvert — spearheaded this initiative for California to take on ownership of these aircraft, speed up the time to have them flying firefighting operations in California, and expand Cal Fire’s firefighting capabilities.
At a hangar in Sacramento, the governor joined Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler, firefighting personnel, and those who helped make the C-130H possible to celebrate the milestone.
“The largest aerial firefighting force in the world is getting even bigger. Thanks to our champions in Congress – Sen. Padilla, Representative Calvert, and the late, great Sen. Feinstein – California’s second C-130 airtanker is ready to take flight, just in time ahead of peak fire season,” Gov. Newsom said.
On Thursday, the governor also received a demonstration of Cal Fire’s new C-130H simulator — the only one of its kind in the nation owned by a fire department. The simulator helps train pilots and engineers specifically for C-130 firefighting missions.
The journey to integrate the C-130H aircraft into Cal Fire’s fleet began in 2018 when California secured approval to acquire seven of these aircraft from the Coast Guard.
President Joe Biden signed legislation in late 2023, officially transferring ownership of the seven C-130H aircraft to the state, where Cal Fire would complete the work of retrofitting the aircraft for wildfire suppression operations.
“The completed transfer of federal C-130 airtankers to Cal Fire is equipping California’s firefighters with significantly expanded capabilities to protect vulnerable communities from wildfires and save lives,” said Sen. Padilla. “Pushing the Air Force to complete this transfer has been a top priority of mine since I joined the Senate, which is why I worked to pass legislation to get it done as quickly as possible. As we saw with the first retrofitted aircraft fighting the Los Angeles fires, these powerful planes will enable California to respond to wildfires more quickly and effectively as we face more extreme conditions and increasingly devastating disasters.”
“The C-130 Hercules aircraft that have been transferred from the federal government to Cal Fire are game changing additions to our wildfire response aviation arsenal,” said Rep. Calvert. “Our bipartisan efforts to secure the C-130s are an important step in better protecting Californians from dangerous wildfires. I look forward to all seven of the C-130s being operational and deployed across California in the near future.”
Cal Fire’s C-130 program involved substantial contributions from multiple partners. The United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard provided support in maintaining these aircraft, including the replacement of inner and outer wing boxes and essential spare parts.
Following their arrival at Cal Fire Aviation Headquarters, the aircraft underwent extensive modifications, including the installation of a 4,000-gallon tank and a sophisticated retardant delivery system, or RDS.
“Placing the second C-130H airtanker into service is another milestone in ensuring Californians are protected from the growing threat of wildfire,” said Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. “This addition strengthens our aerial firefighting capabilities and demonstrates our continued commitment to safeguarding lives, property, and natural resources across the state.”
Building on unprecedented progress
Even before this, California had built up the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world, including the recently added — and night-time capable — firefighting Fire Hawk helicopters.
These new C-130Hs will be strategically located throughout the state at Cal Fire bases to mobilize when needed, adding to the helicopters, other aircraft, and firefighters ready to protect Californians.
This follows California’s leadership in utilizing innovation and technology to fight fires smarter, leveraging artificial intelligence, satellites, and more for wildfire detection, projection, and suppression.
In addition to nearly doubling the state’s budget for Cal Fire in recent years, the state has also dramatically increased work to prevent wildfire.
While 57% of California’s forests are federally managed, the state government manages only 3% of the forestland.
On state land, more than 2,200 projects are complete or underway, and in recent years, California has treated nearly 2 million acres — made possible by scaling up investments to 10 times the amount from when the governor took office in 2019.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The average for a gallon of regular gasoline is slightly lower this week in California, at $4.80, down five cents since last week.
A substantial 61-cent drop from the $5.41 per gallon average Californians were seeing this time last year.
Although the national average of $3.17 is slightly up from last week and 5 cents higher than last month, it’s still well below what drivers were paying this year over year.
“An increase in demand — as the weather gets nicer and more people get out and about — is pushing prices up slightly,” said Doug Johnson with AAA Northern California. “The price of crude oil is also on the lower side at $62 a barrel, compared to $82 a barrel, which is what it cost one year ago.”
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration, or EIA, gasoline demand increased from 8.46 million b/d last week to 9.41.
Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 234.0 million barrels to 229.5. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 10.1 million barrels per day.
Fuel prices around the state:
• Lake County: $4.78 (average).
• San Francisco: $4.98.
• Oakland: $4.91.
• San Jose: $4.89.
• Sacramento: $4.83.
• Fresno: $4.77.
• Stockton: $4.70.
Oil market dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell $1.40 to settle at $62.27 a barrel.
The EIA reports that crude oil inventories increased by 0.2 million barrels from the previous week.
At 443.1 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 5% below the five-year average for this time of year.
EV charging
The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station stayed the same this past week at 34 cents. In California it's 35 cents.
State stats
Gas
The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.80), Hawaii ($4.51), Washington ($4.28), Oregon ($3.92), Nevada ($3.87), Alaska ($3.64), Illinois ($3.42), Arizona ($3.37), Pennsylvania ($3.35), and Idaho ($3.32).
The nation's top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.68), Oklahoma ($2.71), Texas ($2.74), Louisiana ($2.75), Alabama ($2.78), Tennessee ($2.79), South Carolina ($2.80), Arkansas ($2.80), Kentucky ($2.83), and Kansas ($2.83).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Hawaii (55 cents), Alaska (47 cents), West Virginia (47 cents), Montana (45 cents), South Carolina (44 cents), Tennessee (43 cents), Kentucky (42 cents), Idaho (42 cents), Louisiana (41 cents), and Georgia (40 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (22 cents), Missouri (25 cents), Iowa (27 cents), Delaware (28 cents), Nebraska (28 cents), Utah (29 cents), Texas (30 cents), Maryland (30 cents), Vermont (31 cents), and North Carolina (31 cents).
Find current fuel prices at https://gasprices.aaa.com/.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake has made a significant donation to assist with funding for an upcoming spay and neuter clinic.
The tribe said it has donated Pet Fix - Lake County, a partnership between The SPCA of Lake County, Dogwood Animal Rescue Project and Clearlake Animal Association.
Habematolel’s donation includes $4,000 to fund a feral cat clinic and $18,500 to support half the cost of the upcoming three-day "Pet Fix - Lake County" spay and neuter clinic scheduled for June 13 to 15.
The tribe’s support will allow the SPCA to spay and neuter approximately 200 owned cats and dogs over the three-day weekend, while also supporting a dedicated clinic for unowned, feral cats in the community.
In addition to spay and neuter services, pets will receive vaccinations to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
“This donation reflects our tribe’s deep commitment to supporting the health and well-being of all members of our community,” said Chairperson Danielle Cirelli of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake. “We’re especially grateful to Tara Downey for bringing this need to our attention. Her advocacy and support for tribes and for Lake County is inspiring, and this collaboration is a strong example of how intergovernmental relationships can make a positive impact.”
Tara Downey, a Clearlake city councilmember and member of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe, has been instrumental in building cooperative bridges between the city of Clearlake and the tribe. Her outreach on this issue exemplifies the kind of partnership HPUL seeks to foster throughout the region.
“There is an ongoing overpopulation crisis of cats and dogs in Lake County,” said Fawn Williams, treasurer of the SPCA and a veterinary assistant for the clinic. “Many residents simply cannot afford to spay or neuter their pets, and this incredible gift from the Tribe will provide so many benefits to our Lake County neighbors. Beyond controlling the pet population, this donation is going to decrease the spread of disease, prevent suffering, and improve the lives of animals and humans alike.”
The SPCA of Lake County is a nonprofit dedicated to providing high-volume, low-cost spay and neuter services. Their work is essential in addressing the growing number of stray and unowned animals in the area.
By spaying and neutering feral cat colonies, the SPCA helps stabilize and eventually reduce colony populations, curbing the spread of disease and preventing injuries among animals.
