Natural gas firm favored in ruling on south Sacramento storage

Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Natural Gas Storage has gained ground in its bid to store billions of cubic feet of natural gas beneath a south Sacramento neighborhood.

An administrative law judge for the California Public Utilities Commission ruled Monday that complaints that the company had misled the public and the agency earlier this year were without merit and will not be investigated.

The decision stems from a July complaint by the state PUC's public safety arm, which had urged the regulator to fine the company $80,000 for four separate rule violations.

Sometimes, owners become so emotionally charged when they lose their land that they see ‘demons’, which really do not exist. The Sacramento acquisition is such a situation. The owners may be right. If so, they should have their day in court. Thus far, they are on the losing side of a very divisive situation.