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Legislation aiming to combat potential wildfires started by utility companies that fall short of safety standards was reintroduced recently by local Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda).
Assembly Bill 21 would enable local district attorneys and the California Attorney General’s Office to bring action against utilities that fail to maintain proper vegetation abatement around electrical poles and transmission lines.
In a statement, Bauer-Kahan said the “type of carnage” during the Camp Fire in 2018, including 86 people killed and more than 18,000 buildings damaged or destroyed, “is avoidable by proper, routine maintenance and abatement.”
“We have seen, time and time again, PG&E’s failure to do the right thing when it comes to maintaining their equipment and conducting proper vegetation abatement,” Bauer-Kahan said. “Our deadliest fire, the Camp Fire in 2018, was caused by malfunctioning equipment that sparked overgrown vegetation.”
“By allowing local authorities to hold companies accountable when they are out of compliance, we can work to keep our communities safer,” Bauer-Kahan added.
Fines resulting from an action against an electrical company in violation would be added to the newly formed Utility Accountability and Wildfire Prevention Fund, with half going toward the state or county that brought the action and the other half to CalFire. Funds are required to be spent for wildfire prevention and suppression, fire planning, fire-related enforcement activities and enhancing forest management.
With proper maintenance and electrical clearance codes not being updated in nearly 50 years, Bauer-Kahan said “it is time to give our law some teeth, ensuring that everyone steps up in preventing wildfire, and those who do not shall carry the burden.”
Assemblymembers Robert Rivas, David Chiu, Tim Grayson, Cottie Petrie-Norris, Mark Stone, Buffy Wicks, and Senators Monique Limon and Scott Wiener co-authored AB 21, which is currently in the Assembly Rules Committee awaiting referral to a policy committee.
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Thats fine. We can continue to sue PGE, and all it means to most of us is higher rates, and spotty service (rolling blackouts).
PGE has to do their part maintaining lines and fire prevention. We also need to be mindful to allow land owners to manage their own vegetation and trees.
Controlled Burns work.
Fine – please extend those fines and liabilities to anyone who prevents PG&E from performing said maintenance.