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Harder Wants Hearing on PG&E, Wildfires

November 14, 2019

Harder: “California is on The Tip of The Spear” on Climate Change, Failing Infrastructure

WASHINGTON – In a letter, Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) asked the House Energy and Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on the failures of public utilities, such as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to invest in its infrastructure in the face of changing climate conditions and the frequency of extreme weather events. Wildfires in California are expected to cost the state $80 billion in total damage and economic losses this year and we're only midway through the fire season.

"We need PG&E executives to come before the committee to explain how things got this bad and clue us in to their efforts to make things right," said Rep. Harder. "They're not responsible for the weather, but they are responsible for the unreliable state of their infrastructure."

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over both energy issues as well as consumer protection and product safety.

Rep. Harder has been a leader in efforts to hold executives at PG&E accountable for the company's mismanagement as well as the effects it has had on California residents. He is finalizing legislation to penalize PG&E's corporate executives for giving themselves bonuses while failing to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure.

The text of the letter is below and an original version is available here.

Dear Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Walden:

I write today to request a hearing on wildfires and the need for public utilities, such as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure to help prepare for natural disasters. California is on the tip of the spear when it comes to the effects of climate change as well as the failure of our existing infrastructure. Although we're dealing with the most immediate effects of these problems, other states will soon face the same issues. It's important that Congress takes this seriously and begins to devise solutions.

California is only midway through its fire season. While the fires we've experienced so far have been less destructive compared with the last two years, we've seen an unprecedented number of power outages issued by PG&E with more than 1.5 million Californians without power at one point. The impacts of climate change, including the severe winds toppling trees and arid temperatures are all factors that increase the severity of wildfires, but decades of mismanagement and lack of infrastructure investments have also contributed to this problem.

The wildfires and power outages are disrupting vitally important services my constituents and other Californians rely on every day – hospitals need power for surgeries, laboratory exams, and radiology treatments for patients; schools need power to maintain the food that feeds our children and; last but not least, air quality monitors need power to operate – at a time when we should be the most concerned about air quality, these monitors are being compromised due to power outages.

According to reports, this year's wildfires will cost California $80 billion in total damage and economic losses ravaging more than 260,000 acres of the state. Clearly, the cost of inaction is too great.

As climate change continues to worsen and our electrical infrastructure falls further into disrepair, we will see more and more deadly electrical events across the country. It's time for Congress to start leading. Holding a hearing on this and calling in the relevant parties to answer for inaction is a critical first step.

I urge you, Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Walden, to hold a hearing on this vitally important issue. Thank you for your attention to this letter.