SoCal Gas Is Blowing Steam Over a Proposed City Policy – Threatening Protests Without Social Distancing.
California has slowly been moving towards full electric mandates for new constructions. On a state level that looks like the Solar Mandate for new construction, and on the city level, that means taking it one more step further. San Luis Obispo city council is nearing its passage of an ambitious climate change policy that encourages new construction to be all-electric buildings. Gas companies see it as a threat that new houses will be built without gas appliances and wouldn’t need to be connected to the gas grid.
Eric Hofmann, president of Utility Workers Union of America Local 132, represents Southern California Gas Co. employees and has threatened to protest if the city council doesn’t raincheck the vote.
“If the city council intends to move forward with another reading on a gas ban I can assure you there will be no social distancing in place,” Hofmann wrote in an email to San Luis Obispo officials, acquired by LA Times. “Please don’t force my hand in bussing in hundreds and hundreds of pissed off people potentially adding to this pandemic,”
We’ll see if city council postpones or calls a bluff.
Tesla Sues Alameda County to Open Factory; Threatens to Move Headquarters Out of State.
More Elon twitter tirades. When COVID19 first hit and the Bay Area (then the rest of California) entered a shelter-in-place, Elon and Tesla tried to keep the Fredmont plant open, even as the local sheriff came to inform them beyond a doubt that they were not considered an essential business under the orders passed. They folded and closed, but in protest.
California has flattened the curve and on Friday started the slow process of carefully reopening certain industries in altered ways. There are still cases and it won’t be business as usual.
Now Tesla has filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing Alameda County’s health department of overstepping federal and state restrictions and again making the claim that the facility is considered critical infrastructure.
“Frankly, this is the final straw,” Musk Tweeted. “Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.”
He’s also called the restrictions fascist and “contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!”
Should be a good week to grab some popcorn – especially if you’re out of TV shows to watch.