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Environment

Ground Broken On Sunrise Powerlink Amid Protest

By Gloria Penner / Senior Political Correspondent,  Megan Burke / News Editor,  Ruxandra Guidi / Reporter
Published December 10, 2010 at 1:33 PM PST
This story was published more than 13 years ago.
Ground Broken On Sunrise Powerlink Amid Protest

The controversial Sunrise Powerlink broke ground Thursday. For years, groups of individuals, community leaders, organizations and elected officials fought the project, concerned in part that the route will traverse some of the most fire prone areas of San Diego county, including the area that was burned in the 2003 Cedar Fire. KPBS Fronteras Reporter Ruxandra Guidi was at the ceremony yesterday.

Transcript

This is a rush transcript created by a contractor for KPBS to improve accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Please refer to the media file as the formal record of this interview. Opinions expressed by guests during interviews reflect the guest’s individual views and do not necessarily represent those of KPBS staff, members or its sponsors.

CONTROVERSIAL SUNRISE POWER LINK BROKE GROUND THURSDAY. THE INDIVIDUAL, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS FOUGHT THE PROJECT FOR YEARS. THEY WERE CONCERNED IN PART THAT THE ROUTE WILL TRAVERSE SOME OF THE MOST FIRE-PRONE AREAS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, INCLUDING THE AREA BURNED IN THE 2003 CEDAR FIRE. KPBS REPORTER WAS AT AT THE CEREMONY YESTERDAY. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO SDGE.

WE ARE TALKING OF A NETWORK OF NINE PROJECTS, GREEN ENERGY PROJECTS THAT WOULD BRING GEO THERMAL SOLAR AND WIND POWER THROUGH THIS TRANSMISSION LINE ACROSS FROM THE VALLEY INTO SAN DIEGO COUNTY, 117-MILES LONG. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WOULD BASICALLY PROVIDE ENERGY TO 650,000 HOMES FROM L.A. TO THE MEXICO BORDER.

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IT FITS IN WITH THE WHOLE GREEN ENERGY THRUSTS WE ARE SEEING NOW. ONE WOULD THINK IT IS RATHER POPULAR. APPARENTLY IT CAN'T. YOU ARE GOING TO TELL US WHO SHOWED UP AT THE GROUND BREAKING. ONE PERSON SHOWED UP WITH GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER.

THE GOVERNOR IS THERE. HE IS ON HIS WAY OUT AS WE KNOW. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR HIS TERM OF GOVERNOR BECAUSE HE'S BEEN PUSHING FOR GREEN ENERGY FOR JOB GENERATION FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMY OF THE IMPERIAL VALLEY BUT ALSO HARD ANSWERING THAT GREEN ENERGY POTENTIAL THAT THE AREA HAS AS A WAY TO PROMOTE GREEN ENERGY BOTH IN CALIFORNIA AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

WHAT HE HAD TO TALK ABOUT, HE SPOKE ABOUT THAT?

HE DID. HE FOCUSED ON JOB GENERATION AND ON GREEN ENERGY LOWERING OF CARBON EMISSIONS. HE SAID AS FAR AS THE PROJECT IS CONCERNED AFTER A FIVE YEAR- LONG ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ALL PLAYERS FEEL LIKE THE PROJECT IS NOT VIOLATING ANY SORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS.

THEN THERE IS ALWAYS THE OTHER SIDE. THE PROTESTERS WHO SHOWED UP. DID THEY REPRESENT ANY PARTICULAR GROUPS?

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SURE. THERE WERE ACTIVIST WHO HAS BEEN A VERY VOCAL MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTALIST AGAINST THE PROJECT. THERE WERE TRIBAL MEMBERS THAT FEEL THAT THIS PROJECT IS BASICALLY VIOLATING THEIR RIGHTS OVER TERRITORY THAT THEY FEEL IS THEIRS. ALSO, THE PROJECT WOULD BASICALLY OCCUPY SOME OF THEIR BURIAL GROUNDS.

I WOULD THINK ARTIFACTS WOULD BE PART OF A CONCERN.

THAT'S RIGHT.

IS ANY SIGN THERE IS A CONCERTED MOVE TO STOP THE PIPELINE FROM HAPPENING?

IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE I GOT THE SENSE THAT A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT PROTESTERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY PROTESTING TOGETHER. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT AGENDAS. THEY ARE NOT TALKING. BUT SEPARATELY THEY HAVE STARTED LAWSUITS. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THEM PENDING IN DISTRICT AND SUPREME COURT. I HEAR IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS WE MAY SEE NEW LEGAL CHALLENGES.

INTERESTING. SO IT IS NOT A DONE DEAL.

NOT AT ALL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

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Environment Energy
Gloria Penner
KPBS remembers Gloria Penner, Senior Political Correspondent and host of "KPBS Midday Edition- Roundtable" on Fridays at noon. Gloria was the host "San Diego Week" from 2008-2011 and also hosted the first hour of KPBS Radio's "These Days" from 1995 to 1999. She served as the host of KPBS TV's "Full Focus" from 2003 to 2007. Gloria first joined KPBS Television in 1969 as director of community relations. Subsequently, she oversaw production of television programs for nine years. From 1993 to 1995, she was the host and writer for "KPBS Weekend Edition," a locally produced television program featuring highlights from the MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour. National credits include reporting and producing assignments for "Nightly Business Report" and the "MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour." She played an active part in KPBS’ election coverage for 30 years. She has moderated scores of town hall meetings on candidates races and propositions for KPBS, "Envision San Diego," and the League of Women Voters. She conducted scores of interviews with congressional, state and local candidates; and reported for television documentaries on issues and candidates. Her awards include 7 Emmys, 5 Golden Mikes, 2 Gracies from the American Federation of Women in Radio and Television, The San Diego Press Club’s Harold Keen Award for excellence in journalism, the John Swett Award from the California Teachers Association, and many honors from the Society for Professional Journalists and the San Diego Bar Association. An annual Gloria Penner Award for Civic Service was established in 2003 by the League of Women Voters of San Diego County, and Gloria was the first recipient. Gloria earned her bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College. She did graduate work in English at New York University and earned her Master’s Degree in English from Syracuse University. She started her radio career in San Francisco in the 1950s as an associate producer on a program called Housewives Protective League. Her first job in television came after a move to Washington, D.C. where she was associate producer of the Washington segment of the "Today Show." After a stint in Hawaii and a return to Washington, D.C., she relocated to San Diego and took a few years off for family life. Gloria is survived by her husband Bill Snyder of La Jolla; two sons, Brad Penner of San Diego and Steve Penner of Tucson, Arizona.
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Megan Burke
Megan Burke is an Emmy-award winning news editor overseeing the environment, health, and racial justice and social equity reporting beats. Prior to her current role as editor, Megan spent more than a decade as a producer for KPBS Midday Edition, a daily radio news magazine and podcast. Other news production credits include KPBS Evening Edition, KPBS Roundtable, and San Diego’s DNA, a two-part documentary highlighting the region’s oldest traditions and culture using personal artifacts and oral histories of San Diegans.
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Ruxandra Guidi
Ruxandra Guidi was the Fronteras reporter at KPBS, covering immigration, border issues and culture. She’s a journalist and producer with experience working in radio, print, and multimedia, and has reported from the Caribbean, South and Central America, as well as the U.S.-Mexico border region.
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