‘A New Age’ of Energy Saving

Your Aug. 10 editorial was on target with its comment that “there is no such thing as an environmentally benign electric power plant.” One wonders, then, at the seeming lack of attention to the proposed takeover of San Diego Gas & Electric by Southern California Edison.

An analysis of the takeover by South Coast AQMD air quality specialist Kenneth Smith says, “The results of these analyses clearly indicate that the proposed merger will have negative air quality impacts in the South Coast Air Basin and may undermine the District’s efforts to bring the Basin into compliance with all state and federal ambient air quality standards.”

That analysis is backed up by Edison’s own data presented to the Public Utilities Commission, one of two agencies with veto power over the merger. The other is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Incredibly, FERC has thus far ignored requests for a federal environmental assessment of the SCE/SDG&E; merger, even though the utilities admit to air quality impacts.

Other agencies from as far south as San Diego and as far north as Ukiah have identified potential environmental harm to their communities as a result of the merger.

Only one statewide official--Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp--has recognized these potential adverse impacts on Californians and pushed for appropriate review. Other elected officials have ignored this very real, pending threat to California’s most pressing environmental problem--cleaner air. These same officials are more than willing to restrict other businesses emissions, or ban back yard barbecues, but Edison has become the sacred cow of polluters.

BOB HUDSON

Executive Director

Coalition for Local Control

San Diego