Commission Recommends Two Billion Dollar Fine Against PG&E for 2010 Pipeline Explosion

admin — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:35:35 +0000

The California Public Utilities Commission recently announced a recommended fine against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in connection with a 2010 gas pipeline explosion: $2.25 billion. According to officials, that would be the largest fine ever assessed by a state regulatory agency. The commission said the fine should be shouldered by the company’s shareholders, not its customers.

On September 9, 2010, a gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, a suburb of San Francisco. The blast killed eight, injured dozens, and destroyed some 38 homes.

In 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled unanimously that the explosion was caused by a “litany of failures” by the company as well as insufficient oversight by safety officials.

The City of San Bruno issued a separate recommendation that PG&E be fined not less than $1.25 billion, plus pay at least $1 billion toward inspecting and upgrading its pipelines. PG&E is expected to file its own proposal soon, and a utilities commission judge will issue a final ruling on how much the company will pay later this year.

The utilities commission’s recommendation calls for the entire $2.25 billion to be spent on inspecting, upgrading, and replacing hundred of miles of gas pipelines rather than being added to the state’s general revenue fund.

An attorney for consumer advocate group Utility Reform network pointed out that the required infrastructure investments will lessen the impact of the fine on PG&E.

“This is a very big penalty, but it’s not quite as big as it seems when you account for the tax benefits PG&E would accrue,” Marcel Hawiger said.

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The post Commission Recommends Two Billion Dollar Fine Against PG&E for 2010 Pipeline Explosion first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.

Lower the legal limit in DUI cases from 0.08 in Florida? National Transportation Safety Board proposes lowering legal breath test limit for DUI cases.

admin — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:25:10 +0000

Last week, the NTSB proposed lowering the legal limit for Driving Under the Influence cases from 0.08 to 0.05. In Florida, the legal limit is 0.08. Also in Florida, a driver with a breath alcohol under 0.05 is presumed to not be impaired. The NTSB feels that lowering the limit would help cut down on traffic accidents. Studies of alcohol related accidents does not support this theory as most individuals involved in alcohol-related crashed have a legal limit of around 0.13 to 0.15, so lowering the level would not be a deterrent. I was recently hit by a driver who ran a red light at 50 mph. He did not even hit his brakes. The police came to the scene and had the other driver perform the Field Sobriety Exercises, but did not arrest him. Do I think lowering the legal limit would have prevented the accident? No.

The legal limit has been lowered over the years. Initially, the DUI breath test limit was 0.15 in 1941. It was later reduced to 0.12, then 0.10, and now the 0.08 that is the law in Florida DUI cases. The 0.05 limit is used in Europe which is a much less car-centric society. As a DUI defense attorney, I rarely see cases where the driver has a breath test under 0.08. A person must be arrested for DUI before a breath test can be requested. The police do no “unarrest’ you if you blow under the legal limit and these DUI cases are still prosecuted in court. They are difficult DUI cases to prove obviously and many times are dismissed or reduced to lesser charges. Therefore, it is clear that this law would only affect social drinkers who are not a problem or hazard on the road. That’s why a driver is presumed to not be impaired by alcohol when they have such a low blood alcohol level.

DUI is a very serious crime and can have devastating outcomes when a person drives impaired and there is an accident. DUI Manslaughter or DUI causing Serious Bodily Injury can result in substantial prison terms. I do not think lowering the limit will dramatically cut down on alcohol impaired deaths. Even safety groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and AAA declined to endorse the NTSB’s call for a 0.05 threshold.

If you have been arrested for DUI, call and speak to an aggressive Polk County DUI defense attorney. Always make sure that the DUI lawyer you retain is actually located in Polk county and will go to court with you and not send an associate. Get someone working on your DUI case now because it can make a difference in the outcome of your criminal case!

DON’T HESITATE!!! CALL NOW!!!
PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!!!

CALL THOMAS C. GRAJEK, POLK COUNTY DUI ATTORNEY

CALL NOW 863-838-5549 cell

Aggressive Polk DUI defense attorney handling all DUI arrests, DUI Manslaughter, and DUI with Serious Bodily Injury in Polk county, FL.

The post Lower the legal limit in DUI cases from 0.08 in Florida? National Transportation Safety Board proposes lowering legal breath test limit for DUI cases. first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.

National Transportation Safety Board | SEONewsWire.net

Commission Recommends Two Billion Dollar Fine Against PG&E for 2010 Pipeline Explosion

Lower the legal limit in DUI cases from 0.08 in Florida? National Transportation Safety Board proposes lowering legal breath test limit for DUI cases.