On 12/26/19 4:06 PM, John Levine wrote:
In article <c0c79349-2a6c-4874-b4d9-801353268...@mtcc.com> you write:
run but are now showing their long term consequences, notably land use
that encourages sprawl and construction in ill-suited areas
If we stopped construction in all of the ill-suited areas, we'd stop
construction all together, and tear down much more. We have it all here:
earthquakes, floods, fires; often the trifecta. We could certainly be
smarter, but the nature of the geography here is both a blessing and a
curse.
Among California's many problems is a bizarre terror of upzoning and
infill construction, hence the sprawl. Here in my rustic bit of
upstate New York you can build a two-family anywhere you can build a
single family and the world has not come to an end.
NIMBYism. My previous state senator (Scott Wiener) has been trying all
he can to make headway on that front. But NIMBY's are a strong force and
don't cleave down party lines whatsoever.
PG&E is especially egregious as it has extremely high rates and
piss-poor maintenance. Where does all of that money go? Execs and
shareholders.
Evidently not since they've been through bankruptcy a few times. I
think they're just institutionally incompetent as well as having an
unusually environmentally hostile territory to serve. (Around here when
the power company screws up, the power fails but the county does not
catch fire.)
Well that was true here until about 10-20 years ago too. Fire seasons
are about 2 months longer, iirc. From beginning of May into first part
of December. We almost never had fires in June but now they're fairly
common. That's true for a lot of western US now.
I don't know what the ultimate solution is, but
whatever it is cannot have those perverse incentives.
The LA DWP seems to do OK.
As does Sacramento's SMUD. Part of the problem is that they are just so
large. San Jose and SF are thinking very seriously about splitting off.
Which would probably create yet another death spiral for PG&E because it
would leave all of the expensive distribution (= out in the boonies,
etc) and allow cities to cherry pick the cheaper distribution areas when
it makes sense. The entire thing is a shitshow.
Mike
