November 3, 2011
California

Power lines opponents claim success at swaying official opinion

Champion Newspapers, www.championnewspapers.com 2 November 2011

Hope for the Hills, a grass roots group fighting the Edison power lines, briefed the Chino Hills city council at its Oct. 25 meeting about its projects and protests, including garnering more support from elected officials.

“We have a wonderful and talented group of individuals in Chino Hills,” said Hope for the Hills president Bob Goodwin. “With your help, with God’s blessings, and the support of the entire community, we will definitely right this wrong.”

The following day, CPUC Commissioner Mark Ferron’s chief of staff met in San Francisco with two members of Edison’s regulatory affairs and licensing staff for 45 minutes at the request of Edison. Edison responded to questions regarding the project’s impacts on Chino Hills and FAA issues.

Hope for the Hills’ website has been viewed by a number of elected officials as well as Edison and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), said Joanne Genis of Hope for the Hills.

CPUC President Michael Peevey announced during the Oct. 20 commission meeting that he had toured the towers with Chino Hills officials. He told the audience that one had to see the towers to understand their impact on the community. Mr. Peevey encouraged his fellow CPUC commissioners and the public to visit the towers.

After CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon toured Chino Hills last week, dozens of residents posted thank-yous on his Facebook page.

At the request of Hope for the Hills members who swarmed his Oct. 17 town hall meeting, Rep. Gary Miller issued a statement through his campaign committee, blaming short-sighted Democratic lawmakers in Sacramento who in 2002, with Gov. Gray Davis at the helm, mandated power companies in California to generate a greater percentage of “so-called” green energy.

“This required the power companies to find low yield, niche energy producers all over the state such as wind farms, solar power plants and biodiesel facilities to build a web of transmission lines that crisscrossed the state.

“Democrats required that communities be divided, hillsides scarred and vistas disrupted all in the name of clean energy—and so a few liberal elitists can feel good about themselves…. It’s a crime that the residents of Chino Hills are suffering as a direct result of Democratic lawmakers’ short-sidedness and ineptitude … the good people of Chino Hills who have suffered from the actions of elected officials should receive financial compensation for any loss of equity in their home due to the thoughtless and reckless actions of Sacramento.”

Mr. Miller’s representative, Megan McCormack, said the statement was released through the campaign because of the “tone of the press release.” She said she was not aware to whom the release was distributed.

Hope for the Hills members attended an open house in Chino Hills last Saturday held by Rep. Ed Royce, who may seek a spot in the newly created congressional district where Chino Hills will be located.

“Mr. Royce did his homework,” Mr. Goodwin said. “He was prepared, knowledgeable about the project, and has a plan.”

On a lighter note, Hope for the Hills organized a “Moon over Chino Hills” campaign during its Oct. 21 protest of what will be the highest and most visible tower, west of Peyton Drive, north of Morningfield Drive. The lattice tower will shadow the Forest Meadow and Lost Trail drives neighborhoods. It is already highly visible to commuters at Chino Hills Parkway and Peyton Drive.

Residents, wearing white boxer shorts bearing the letters of “Hope for the Hills.org,” mooned what they called the “granddaddy” tower. A lone security guard was at the tower.

Mayor Ed Graham said it’s time the entire community stepped up to fight the Edison towers. He said the most effective action is to contact the Board of Directors at Edison because they are the policy makers who could have a great impact.

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