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Thursday, March 28-April 03, 2024
VOL. 8,
NO. 164
Norco backs proposed state law to suspend Riverside power line project
First lady Jill Biden speaks at Coachella Valley fundraiser
By Staff
By City News Service
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orco city officials last week called on state lawmakers to suspend a Southern California Edison project to install above-ground electricity lines in a fire-prone area along the Santa Ana River. On March 21, the California Public Utilities Commission voted 3-0 to reject the Norco’s petition to move underground the entire length of the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project. “I am incredibly frustrated at the lack of concern for the impact giant transmission towers and power lines will have on the fire safety of Norco and our neighbors,” Norco Mayor Kevin Bash said in a statement. “I’m thankful that our local legislators are stepping in to ask that the current environmental effects are studied before the RTRP is constructed.” Following the CPUC rejection, Norco officials have now thrown their support behind Assembly Bill 3076. The bill was co-authored by Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Temecula, and Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, and introduced Feb. 16. AB 3076 seeks to put the transmission line project on hold until the utilities commission completes an updated environmental impact study. On Oct. 2, the city of Norco filed a legal action asking that the commission reconsider the RTRP's full undergrounding alternative. Norco's "Petition for Modification" noted that the city has seen a "dramatic
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irst lady Jill Biden arrived in the Coachella Valley Saturday as part of a Southern California fundraising swing. Biden flew into Palm Springs on Saturday and was greeted by Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein on the tarmac at Palm Springs International Airport. A motorcade then took her to a midday fundraiser for her husband's reelection campaign in Rancho Mirage hosted by James Costos, former U.S. ambassador to Spain under the Obama administration, and his partner Michael Smith. According to a pool report, roughly 125 people attended the fundraiser at the couple's Thunderbird Heights estate, which also included remarks from Democrat Will Rollins, who is running for California's 41st Congressional District seat against incumbent Republican Rep. Ken Calvert. Deadline and KESQ reported that the guest list for the fundraiser included Barry Manilow and former California Sen. Barbara Boxer. Deadline reported that tickets range from $1,000 to $100,000, with the highest-priced tickets including a photo opp with the first lady. See Jill Biden Page 13
Advocates: Think again before buying bunnies as Easter gifts transmis- their voices were heard,”
This map shows the proposed course of the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project. | Image courtesy of the city of Riverside
increase in the risk of catastrophic wildfires within its city limits since the original environmental impact study was conducted," city officials said in a statement. The legislation notes that the RTRP's environmental impact report was prepared in 2013. Norco officials are concerned that fire risk will greatly increase with the construction of an overhead, high-voltage power line passing through open space with a lot of flammable vegetation in the often windy region that provided the namesake for the Santa Ana winds. “I am extremely disappointed in today’s decision to move forward with the dangerous plan to build
above-ground sion lines along the Santa Ana River,” Essayli said in a statement. “AB 3076 will halt approval for the project until a comprehensive environmental impact study that considers the true fire risk is completed.” Dozens of area residents, along with U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, and Riverside City Council members Chuck Condor and Steve Hemenway, spoke verbally and in writing in support of Norco’s petition at the March 21 utilities commission meeting in San Francisco. “Residents called in, wrote letters, and sent comments to make sure
Norco Mayor Pro Tem Greg Newton said in a statement. “It is disheartening to watch the Commission ignore the local voices that will be most affected and move this project forward without considering the expert testimony of our local fire chiefs.” Norco officials have voiced concerns about the RTRP since 2017 and have publicly opposed the building of any aboveground power lines in the area of River Trails Park along the Santa Ana River and in Norco-adjacent neighborhoods outside the city limits, according to the city statement.
See Power line project Page 13
By City News Service
W
ith Easter a little over a week away, shelter officials and animal rescue groups in Riverside County are urging people not to buy rabbits as holiday gifts for children. They say that what begins as a well-meaning gesture often leads to abandoned animals when the novelty wears off and families realize they're not equipped to properly care for the pets. "We do see bunnies brought to the shelter after the holiday fun wears off," Riverside County Department of Animal Services spokesperson Kerri Mabee told City News Service. "We encourage parents and anyone who is considering the idea of gifting a bunny on Easter to do their homework. Bunnies, like any pet, require a commitment of care to include special food and supplies. They will need exercise and a clean and comfortable environment," Mabee continued. "So, it's important to make sure there is a shared awareness of the responsibilities and expense of caring for a See Bunnies Page 27