FILNER ASKS INTERIOR SECRETARY FOR INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF POWERLINK ON BLM LAND; CITES CONFLICT OF INTEREST BY SDG&E LOBBYIST-TURNED-INTERIOR DEPT. OFFICIAL
Congressman accuses Sempra and SDG&E of “monopolistic” practices
April 25, 2010 (Washington D.C.) – Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego) has sent a letter to Ken Salazar, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary, asking for an independent environmental evaluation on impacts of Sunrise Powerlink proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) through Bureau of Land Management property along the California/Mexico border.
Filner asks that Assistant Secretary of Interior David Hayes be excluded from any decision-making related to the Powerlink project because of his recent role as a lobbyist for Sempra/SDG&E. “Mr Hayes lobbied the Department of Energy (DOE) on behalf of Sempra/SDG&E in 2006 seeking National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) designed by DOE for the SDG&E Powerlink corridor,” Filner's letter points out.
He adds, “Given Mr. Hayes’ history and direct involvement in lobbying for this transmission line, the DOI and the BLM should make every effort to ensure that the federal government conducts its decision making and analyses thoroughly, independently, and as free from any appearance of conflict of interest as possible.”
The Congressman also expresses concerns that the biological opinion was hastily prepared, relies heavily on assumptions from a rejected route through Anza Borrego, and does not adequately account for threatened and endangered species that would be impacted along the Southern route. He asks that a new and more complete biological opinion be conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
In addition, Filner slams SDG&E for acting like a monopoly, stating, “The numerous benefits to be obtained by Sempra, coupled with SDG&E’s refusal to make a binding commitment to carry renewable power illustrates the inappropriate affiliate transactions and reinforces monopolistic behavior in the electric power sector. Sempra has a history of exploiting its regional generation and transmission assets in California and Baja California for inappropriate financial gain,” he adds, noting that Sempra was ordered to pay California $70 million in 2006 for violating terms of a power supply contract with the state.