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Chino Hills’ Monster Towers
Katy Grimes: Assemblyman Curt Hagman (R-Chino Hills) brought up a menacing subject during a committee hearing this week with the California Public Utility Commission. But he didn’t get answers to his questions – just yet.
Following the recent release of the Independent Review Panel’s report blasting the way the CPUC and PG&E handled the pipeline explosions in San Bruno and Rancho Cordova, the CPUC gave updates this week to the Senate Energy committee and the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee. During the Assembly hearing, Hagman asked CPUC Executive Director Paul Clanon why monster electrical towers were being erected so close to homes in his home town of Chino Hills. Clanon said that he was unaware of the project. The hearing centered around the CPUC’s “culture of complacency,” and much needed changes at the regulatory agency. Hagman said that the CPUC had ignored issues with utility companies that should have been regulated, and even asked if there was fraudulent information in CPUC reports and files. Hagman also asked Clanon about employees who leave the CPUC to work for companies that they regulate. And while Clanon said they are not allowed to advovate on behalf of the company, he said there is no rule against it. “Given state salaries, I understand it,” Clanon said. Hagman then explained that the Chino Hills community landscape now includes 200-foot electrical ‘monster-towers’ near homes, churches and parks, even after the city sued Southern California Edison in a CPUC appeals process to halt the project. The issue for residents has been not just the size of the monster-towers. At the heart of the issue is the easement route now being accessed by SCE, which has been inactive for 40 years. In “Green Power Project Jolts Citizens,” I wrote that SCE is currently building on the easement route that has legally been their right-of-way for many decades, even before any homes were built. However, the old lines and towers on the Chino Hills easement were standard in size and voltage, and they were inactive for the past four decades. Most Chino Hills residents with historical knowledge of the area said there was a common understanding that SCE did not have plans to ever use the easement or old power lines — until the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project began, driven entirely by AB 32, and the California Renewable Portfolio Standard, mandated by the Legislature and signed into law on April 12, 2011 by Gov. Jerry Brown. Hagman said that the city of Chino Hills brought suit against Southern California Edison, but lost. In the lawsuit, Chino Hills asked the CPUC to consider an alternative route for the electrical towers away from homes, as well as more time to develop a better and safer plan. The city of Chino Hills spent $2.4 million on experts, lawyers and specialty engineers to fight SCE to develop the alternate route through the Chino Hills State Park. They even had the support of environmentalists and other agencies, and hoped to get the CPUC to agree. Instead, the CPUC snubbed the city, and justified the decision by claiming that there are more visitors to the Chino Hills State park than there are residents of Chino Hills. Many of the Chino Hills residents said that the CPUC caved in to environmental extremists who favor land preservation over the concerns of people. Hagman also said that during the middle of the lawsuit, a SCE employee left the utility company and went to work for the CPUC. Hagman’s office said that the alternate route through the park would have been significantly cheaper for SCE. But now with the more expensive tower option going in, rate payers will also face higher electrical rates. Shedding some light on the opposition, one reader left a telling comment: “While the individual owners may not like their elected officials so very well now, the future public enjoyment of the State Park lands will not be affected by community electrical needs.” Hagman had introduced legislation to curtail the tower project, but his office said the bills went nowhere. The many Chino Hills residents I spoke with said that they were railroaded by SCE and the CPUC, but still want to pursue a way to halt the project, and instead opt for the alternative route. And residents haven’t received answers to their questions about what happens to Chino Hills when the monster towers become live, and record amounts of electricity shoot through power lines close to their homes. AUG. 18, 2011
Tags: AB 32, California, California Legislature, CPUC, Curt Hagman, Jerry Brown, Katy Grimes, legislature, PG&E, Prop. 23, regulations, RPS, SCE Comments(41) |
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May 23, 2012
Thank you, Katy, for keeping this story alive and backing us up on this. It’s not over ’til it’s over!
Talk about a kick in the stomach! Clanon, The CPUC Executive Director is unaware of the Monster power poles going up in CHINO HILLS? I doubt I speak for myself when I say as a resident I’m consumed with thoughts of these Monsters that tower over our homes and contemplate morning, noon and night what to do about our future. Living in the community for 30 years, the city where my children were baptized, hit their first baseball, graduated high school, where we’ve celebrated every holiday in our home with our families for the last 30 years and built our nest egg and now I don’t know what to do because everything I thought was safe has been robbed from me by the CPUC, SCE and Governor Brown and he’s pretending like he’s never heard of it? COWARD! I’ve written countless letters and no one has had the guts to write me one word back. I can barely sleep at night tossing and turning trying to figure out what to do about our home. What’s going to happen to us? Our property values are falling with each and every Monster that continues to go up like a fast spreading cancer and Clanon knows nothing about this? How insulting to us, how disrespectful to us, how utterly disgraceful to this entire community of people who were simply living our lives when you intruders came in and took everything away from us. And now you’re acting as if you knew nothing about it? I knew this was coming but I figured it would be when the first, second, third, etc, case of childhood leukemia was reported. We certainly deserve better than this. Mr. Hagman, thank you for looking out for us. You have been our only glimmer of hope in months. It’s truly appreciated.
P.S. Katy – MUCH thanks to you for keeping up on this subject! I can not thank you enough for the stories you continue to bring to light. Thank you! You will forever be in my thoughts as someone who was considerate to the citizens in Chino Hills.
We are very grateful for the efforts of the City of Chino Hills, Mr. Hagman, citizens of the city that refuse to give up the fight, and now you Katy. Over the years that this situation has progressed,it’s been obvious that our former governor and now our current governor place no value on the health and well being of their constituents in Chino Hills; it is also obvious that the CPUC personnel and Southern California Edison personnel have an inappropriate relationship that should be illegal, if it is not already; Mr. Clanon, your attitude and dishonest statements offer compelling evidence of this, as if more was needed. You have brought shame to a PUBLIC agency(as in you represent the PUBLIC, not the utility companies!) Mr. Clanon! Keep up the fight Chino Hills!
How can CPUC be unaware about the monster towers being built in Chino Hills, when themselves approved SCE to proceed with the project? This is totally wrong. CPUC primary goal is to protect the people of CA. Did CPUC aware of the physical size of these towers when they approved the project. Pictures tell a lot more than a document stating a 200 feet high is required for 500KV electrical lines….
CPUC, please do not ignore Chino Hills!
Katy, THANK YOU for making our voices be heard! You are an inspiration to all of us and for that we are extremely grateful! Mr. Hagman, THANK YOU for standing up for us and continuing to fight for our community. I have nothing but great respect for you in understanding the severity of the issue we are facing. Unless a person is directly affected, it’s difficult to comprehend our position so we appreciate any and all support we get in fighting SCE and CPUC and their unethical ways. It is incomprehensible how anyone even came up with the idea to build these MONSTERS in between homes, let alone get the approval to do so!!! I encourage others to come out and take a look for themselves, words and pictures can not describe the atrocity SCE has done to the residents of Chino Hills.
It is a shame that animals are given more concern than Human life. The relationship between SCE and CPUC is too chummy. The governor and the CPUC need to do the right thing and move or bury these lines. Curt Hagman needs to continue the pressure to do right by our city.
Thank you Katy for keeping the pressure on these clearly corrupt decision makers.
Dear Katy-
Thank you so much for your continued efforts to champion our fight against SCE and the CPUC.
Your recent article perfectly explains the “crime” being committed against the residents of Chino Hills, Calif. and the empty defense offered by SCE and the PUC.
With all the letters and communications submitted in support of our cause it makes us wonder if their lack of compasion isn’t proof of a malicious assault against a quiet community.
You can’t know how we appreciate your help in exposing this matter.
With greatest respect,
Debbie Dean
12 years ago, my husband and I choose to immigrate from Egypt to USA to get married and give birth to our kids. We worked so hard to be able to afford buying a house. I spent the last 12 years in my life working so hard so i can afford buying my house in Chino Hills. Guess what, we finally bought our dream house a year ago. All friends assured us we choose the perfect place to raise our 3 kids. We immigrated from Egypt to the USA as we did not want our kids to live in a corrupted country like Egypt. My 11 years old son asked me How could SCE do this to our new home?. He also asked me why do not we go back to Egypt? like all the kids in the community ,he hates these monster power lines. SCE made kids hate their homes, wish to leave their beloved country.
Shame on SCE, Shame on CPUC and Shame on Governor Brown.
Can’t thank you enough, Katy, for all you are doing to help Chino Hills, and all California citizens. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Katy, for the great article and helping to expose the corruption that rules the CPUC.
There is an issue that is not being addressed by the PUC and it is known as the “public good”. This is clearly not being addressed. Sure we need cheaper power all over the world, but you don’t do it by putting the public at risk. You find another route that affects people less and yes maybe you might have to sacrifice the environment a little to save people from horrible diseases caused by the electricity that will be audibly heard all over Chino Hills. The “public good” is not being dealt. There is more to life than money and this is yet another example of big business (utility) running over the little people. This maybe the next chapter of Erin Brockovich! Rethink this project, take the “monsters” to the state park or somewhere else. How much money does the PUC and Edison have? Think of thousands of law suits after the wires are active and they begin causing birth defects, miscarriages, cancer, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, etc. It will be cheaper to move the monsters now than fight these suits that will come later! The people will not stand for this…you are just hearing the beginning of this!
“Hagman also asked Clanon about employees who leave the CPUC to work for companies that they regulate. And while Clanon said they are not allowed to advovate on behalf of the company, he said there is no rule against it. “Given state salaries, I understand it,” Clanon said.”
Given state salaries! Given state salaries! Is Clannon aware that state salaries are substantially higher than the private sector? State salaries and benefits combined are far above the private sector.
If SCE or PG&E salaries are higher than the inflated state salaries it is because SC&E and PG&E are state regulated monopolies and insulated from the free market. You can get away with much higher prices when you are the only game in town and rates are set by politicians who are in want of your donations and not the free market which only rewards value.
That is why SC&E electricians are paid multiples higher in wages and benefits than free market electricians. The utility unions see the abundant waste and profiteering going on and want their taste as well.
Thank you, Katy! Your article is wonderful, and we appreciate your research and reporting. Maybe Paul Clanon needs to see video and pictures of what is going on in Chino HIlls. Is this possible?
Thank you Katy and Mr. Hagman for your integrity. We deeply appreciate your unwavering efforts in helping us fight this injustice brought onto us by SCE and CPUC.
SCE, you are like a reckless driver who insist on right of way. Good drivers yield or stop to avoid collision or even kill someone. Here’s a qoute from Martin Luther King, Jr. “HE WHO PASSIVELY ACCEPTS EVIL IS AS MUCH INVOLVED IN IT AS HE WHO HELPS TO PERPETRATE IT. HE WHO ACCEPTS EVIL WITHOUT PROTESTING AGAINST IT IS REALLY COOPERATING WITH IT”.
At this very moment I am gathering every letter I’ve written over the last few years along with before / after pictures and all the newspaper articles I can find…..Mr Clanon they’ll be in the mail to you tomorrow to “bring you up to speed”.
I urge everyone to do the same.
We aren’t going away….but those towers are!
Thanks so much Katy, this article says it like it is and we appreciate what you are doing to let more people know about the travesty happening in Chino Hills.
Maybe with more effort and lots of prayers, something will happen to get these horrible tower monsters out of the path of Chino hills homes!
Thank you for putting the effort to report the truth story behind Edison & CPUC’s dirty scheme.
Katy,
This was a well-written and wonderful account of the happenings over here in the Chino Hills CA area. We are a small group of citizens who go about their business quietly and comfortably. This is our home and where we live a wonderful, country atmosphere life. Up until the SCE and CPUC decided to change our world. I find it is refreshing and inspiring that this small group of citizens has found their voice. WE appreciate you for helping us to strengthen and broaden our reach into the political arena in Sacramento and beyond. Three cheers for you!
When the tower closest to our home was erected with its vicious disregard, I looked at my 7yr old son and imagined how the “inconclusive” was going to affect him. My eyes swelled up with tears. My son saw me and said “Mama…what’s wrong? I’ve only seen you cry 2 times”. At that moment, I knew I had to keep fighting and stay positive!! I owe it to my son, my husband and to my fellow residents. I will not STOP!!
Thank you Katy for being our beacon of hope!! With you behind us, along with Hagman’s continued pressure, we can see a RE-ROUTE…we WILL see a RE-ROUTE!!
Considering the manipulative nature of the CPUC, perhaps they will acquiesce. Then they can request and receive funds to take them down. Now wouldn’t that work out for everyone!!
A reader says “…future public enjoyment of the State Park lands will not be affected by community electrical needs.” The community in question, Chino Hills, as well as other communities that will soon be affected by these giant poles, WILL NOT BENEFIT from the electricity being transmitted thru these high voltage wires. These wires are TRANSMISSION lines, not distribution lines. Chino Hills does not get the electricity, but we do get the enjoyment of seeing these monsters on a daily basis, without even leaving our homes, the thrill of seeing our home values fall even more, and the wonderful opportunity to fear for our safety and the health of our loved ones for years to come. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that this “reader” will not be seeing these monsters in their area. In fact, where does this person live? Let’s contact him and let him know the poles can be moved to his neighborhood, since he’s worried about visitors to state parts.
So many people just completely infuriate me at their stupidity. Anyone with half a brain would have put these unearthly monsters through the state park and knew they were doing the right thing. But, no! Home values, medical issues, danger from the towers and lines if they ever fell, and no need to mention how incredibly ugly they are, even without the lines strung up yet? Government is so corrupt and the majority are incredibly clueless to the needs of real people. But, that’s okay as long as their world is fat and happy and feed like leeches off the taxpayers backs. SCE, well it’s all about whatever is easiest and cheapest for them. Evil!
Thank you Katy,
One concern of mine is how the CPUC claims they are not well paid.
I know many qualified people who would take a job at the CPUC for its salary and benefits.
According to some reports I read, the CPUC has a budget of $1.4 billion per year, and has about 1,000 employees.
That comes out to $1.4 million dollars per employee. I don’t know how much overhead the CPUC has, but $1.4 million per employee seems like a lot of money.
I cannot believe that the CPUC and the SCE are so uncaring when it comes to peoples health and home investment. They would rather save a snake or chipmonk than care for us human beings. I realize that this is a “David and Golith” effort on our behalf. But, we can take this all the way and not give up. “WE SHALL OVERCOME”.
Thanks Katy.
Whate ever happened to the tunnel proposal to put the power underground.
It was on the EIR proposal and one city manager told me that it was too
expensive. So…..why was it put in the proposal as part of the offering?
Seem like a bait and switch to me.
It seems to me that those morons just couldn’t say a word but lies! What do they mean by ‘unaware’ of the project? Who are they trying to kid? Kid me not!! This is not a joke! Thousands and thousands of people are going to be affected by these monstrous towers! we just simply CANNOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS that impacted our families, our children and most importantly, our well being/health!!
Per local newspaper, the Chino Hills State Park announced a 3 day/week closure of the park due to state budget cuts. Obviously, the CPUC’s contention that visitors would be more visually impacted by the towers is a joke. I would think a closure would interfere with the visitor’s “priority” respite.
Is there any way that we could get a petition against these power poles? I would gladly sign it. I feel as every else that this is wrong and could affect health and property values. Thanks for continuing this fight.
@Georgene: Visit the website hopeforthehills.org to find a petition you can sign to get the transmission towers moved. Thank you!
Thank you Katy for keeping on top of this injustice served upon Chino Hills.
To think that the Executive Director of the CPUC did not know anything about these towers/project is outrageous. Curt Hagman, please keep up the pressure. Video of the Monsters….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hDwt4mgEMU&feature=youtu.be
How would the people of SCE and CPUC feel if these “goliath towers” are present in their own backyards? Let us not even discuss the cost, let us focus on the health hazard and safety of the residents of the area. If you people have a common decency, you will not allow this to happen. There are alternative routes, why not use and exhaust all effort to use them?
Thank you Katy! You are our life line and a lound sound board speaking on the behalf of the Chino Hills community. So grateful for all your effort to help this fight against the monsters poles and against the giants CPUC and SCE that have no respect of our lives!
Please sign this petition to bring down the power towers in Chino Hills. It would help us a great deal.
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-sce-power-lines-in-chino-hills
will sce be held liabile for all the neg health effects
rise in cancer
birth defects
miscarriages
Hello I’m very upset about these unsightly monstrosities that are invading our Hills. I’ve lived in Chino Hills since the early 60s, we had one of the largest cattle ranches. Chino Hills was not the city at that time, it was unincorporated,. So you can imagine the changes that we have seen literally. We live on top of one of the highest peaks. By far over the 47 years that we have lived here, those 500.000-VOLT TRANSMISSION POLES stick out like a sore sore thumb from here. It’s the most craziest, ugly, asinine, prophetic, lamebrain, out of place, inconsiderate, unsightly, quickfix, easy way out, cheapest, F up that Southern California Edison Company has ever made. I’m sure the CPUC Commissioner’s and SCE executives would not allow those monstrosities to be built in their communities.
I have a solution, instead of taking away from the beauty of our community, try giving back.
This is an article that I came across about a community that has made sure their power poles and cell phone poles blend in, instead of takeover .Artificial palm tree & pine tree with metal tree branches, quite good for disguising utilities
The town has an artificial eastern white pine tree to camouflage their utility poles.
This 100-foot-tall “stealth” cell tower that resembles an eastern white pine tree, many visitors to The Greenbrier may never realize it’s here, but will benefit from its high-tech services.
Called a “monopine,” the fake pine tree has 216 branches that start 20 feet above the ground which hide the bread-box-size receivers and transmitters. It took about 10 days to construct the tree towers at a cost of $140,000. If very small price to pay, and you could get creative with these monopine trees for the holiday season. I know Southern California Edison puts on spectacular Christmas lights shows. Would you please consider the idea. Sincerely, a resident of beautiful Chino Hills. Sarah Vanderpool
Bury the lines! 40 years from now, there will be no towers and lines distributing electricty to southern CA. They will all be placed undergorund. It appears that, as usual, no one is considering the future. Why not do it right the first time? It will be more efficient to take down the towers and bury the lines now versus continuing to destroy the beauty of Chino Hills and come back years later and update what is currently available as an alternative. What is most appalling is that SCE shows no regard whatsoever to the objection that our community has displayed. Towers continue to be constructed and the the landscape of our peaceful little city continues to change weekly.
I repectfully request that SCE show leadership and display citizenship to all of it’s customers in Chino Hills as well as all other cities affected by using the latest technology available and serve, by setting an example of how a utilities company can use the latest technology they have available to keep our city’s landscape free of the horrific towers that have invaded our city.
Show some empathy and do the right thing.
I was shocked and disappointed that we have such a few number of people petitioning this movement. There are less than 1,700 people that have actively opposed this. Please tell your friends and families who live in this great city that the time to act is now!!!!! Tell your neighbors to get on line an oppose SCE’s intentions. It takes less than 30 seconds to sign the petition!!!!
Let’s make it happen!!!!
I am outrage of SCE for installing these monstrous towers so close to some of the residents at Chino Hills. They did not have any concern over safety of the anyone near it. The towers deplete the value of our homes. Here is my message to them.
Corp Intrusions
I must have dreamed a thousand dreams
Haunted by the residents’ screams
I can hear their voices speak
Together they’re moving into the street
Now, did you see the news today?
SCE say the protests were escalated
You can see the protests were peaceful
They are matching into the night
There are too much, too much intrusions
Cause too many problems
Not much caring toward the people
Can’t you see these are corp intrusions
This is the place we live in
This is the place we’ve chosen
Together we fight off the intrusions
Make it a place worth living in
Oh, congressmen, where are they now?
When everything’s gone wrong somehow?
The men of authority, these men of power
Are losing control to the corp powers
This the the time, this is the place
We look forward to fight back
Even though the progress is slow somehow
Tell the public this are the corp intrusions
This is the place we live in
This is the place we’ve chosen
Together we fight off the intrusions
To make it a place worth living in
I remembered not too long ago
When the towers started to rise
It towered over our neighborhood all thru nights
In the wake of these madness, as we held our hands tight
So long ago
I won’t be coming home tonight
Together we will put it right
We’re not just making promises
That we know we will win the fight
There are too much, too much intrusions
Cause too many problems
There’s not much caring toward the people
Can’t you see these are corp intrusions
Now, this is the place we live in
This is the place we’ve chosen
Together we fight off the intrusions
To make it a place worth living in
This is the place we live in
This is the place we’ve chosen
Stand up and let start showing
Raise our voices let everyone hear