Natural Gas and Power Plants

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Eleven power plants are in the works to help California through future energy shortages. Like most of the state's current plants, the new facilities will be powered by natural gas, a relatively clean resource. With demand for natural gas high and prices skyrocketing, are we setting ourselves up for another power meltdown? Politicos, utilities and natural gas producers are wrangling over how to extract California from its worst energy crisis ever. We evaluate natural gas as the fuel-of-the-future for California's power plants with the state assembly's new gas supply chairman and a consumer watchdog. (Kyle McKinnon guest hosts.) Newsmaker: The Cornfield's Triumphant Conversion to Public Park - A divisive development issue was settled today when Majestic Realty and Union Pacific Railroad agreed to sell the 40-acre "Cornfield" just north of downtown to a nonprofit trust which will resell the land to the state as a park. Robert Garcia, of the Center for Law in the Public Interest, explains what the long awaited victory will mean for the community. Reporter's Notebook: Homeless Court - When the homeless are charged with misdemeanors, courts often find that the fines and penalties that are meant to insure such minor offenses never happen again are useless. KCRW's Kristen Muller visited Homeless Court, and reports on this new beginning for those on the street.
Eleven power plants are in the works to help California through future energy shortages. Like most of the state's current plants, the new facilities will be powered by natural gas, a relatively clean resource. With demand for natural gas high and prices skyrocketing, are we setting ourselves up for another power meltdown? Politicos, utilities and natural gas producers are wrangling over how to extract California from its worst energy crisis ever. We evaluate natural gas as the fuel-of-the-future for California's power plants with the state assembly's new gas supply chairman and a consumer watchdog. (Kyle McKinnon guest hosts.)
  • Newsmaker: The Cornfield's Triumphant Conversion to Public Park - A divisive development issue was settled today when Majestic Realty and Union Pacific Railroad agreed to sell the 40-acre "Cornfield" just north of downtown to a nonprofit trust which will resell the land to the state as a park. Robert Garcia, of the Center for Law in the Public Interest, explains what the long awaited victory will mean for the community.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Homeless Court - When the homeless are charged with misdemeanors, courts often find that the fines and penalties that are meant to insure such minor offenses never happen again are useless. KCRW's Kristen Muller visited Homeless Court, and reports on this new beginning for those on the street.

Center for Law in the Public Interest

Homeless Court

California Legislature's Subcommittee on Natural Gas

New Directions Shelter

Union Rescue Mission

Utility Consumers' Action Network

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton