When the NCWM Conference voted on the Laws and Regulations (L&R) Committee report on ATC, most state and county regulators were pleased with the committee’s decision to withdraw ATC for retail fuel dispensers from the agenda. Except California.
California just won’t give up on ATC. While the state’s Department of Measurement Services made few comments regarding ATC proposals, county officials from Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura County refused to acknowledge that NCWM has resoundingly rejected ATC. County regulators went as far as attempting to amend the L&R Committee report- attempting to remove the word “consensus” and water down the conference’s overwhelming rejection of ATC. Fortunately, that attempt failed in a very lopsided vote, with only two states supporting the amendment.
Even former ATC proponent Arizona conceded in hearings that the studies don’t support implementation of ATC and announced they would vote against it.
But California just keeps on dreaming, despite findings of the state’s own energy commission, which invested more than a year in studying the issue. The California Energy Commission found ATC would mean one huge bill for California consumers, and no benefits. But these county regulators just can’t let go of a bad and very expensive idea.
Wonder why California has a massive fiscal crisis? If California moves forward with ATC on its own, consumers will have to swallow huge costs. Maybe regulators can send them IOUs for the benefits.