Board of Supervisors approves high energy data agreement with PG & E

During the morning session of the December 17 meeting, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors directed the CAO to sign an agreement with PG & E to provide data regarding a potential high energy use tax  in unincorporated areas of county. The Board also directed the CAO to research the best fundingsource and bring the item back to the Board at a future meeting.

The estimated cost for PG & E provided this data would be anywhere from $500 to $1,000. This item was put on the agenda by Supervisor Sundberg.

Alison Talbot, the representative from PG & E for Government Relations was at the meeting. The following is a summary of some of the remarks she made in response to questions by the Supervisors at the meeting. She wanted to emphasize that the data provided would be aggregate and no individual data would be given out. The data is about users who use energy in excess of the 600% baseline.

If the Board decided to implement this high energy tax, "PG & E is willing to partner with the board"  in implementing the program. The program would be an exact mirror of the program in Arcata. In response to Supervisor Fennell's question if shops would be included, Talbot said no because the Arcata program is designed only for residential use.

Supervisor Sundberg said that he had received feedback to the effect from a constituent that this tax would "be picking on CARE consumers." Talbot clarified CARE guidelines were changed by the PUC. CARE customers who exceed use beyond 400 % of the baseline could be affected by this change, not by the proposed high energy tax .