Energy Commission Granted Stay by Court of Appeal

California Energy Commission - Oct. 21, 2010

 

The California Court of Appeal Fourth District today lifted a restraining order that would have prevented California's Energy Commission from distributing $33 million in federal energy funds. The Court of Appeal order also canceled the November 4 hearing on the contempt charge.

On October 18, the Energy Commission filed a petition in the Court of Appeal asking the court to throw out a temporary restraining order and the contempt charge issued last week by a Riverside Superior Court judge for the Western Riverside Council of Governments.

With this stay the Energy Commission is now free to execute a planned contract for the $33 million Energy Upgrade California Program, a comprehensive, statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy building improvement program sponsored by the Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, utilities and local governments. In response to the restraining order, the Energy Commission continued the business meeting from yesterday until today in hopes it would be able to encumber these funds in time to meet federal deadlines. In view of the Court of Appeal's order, the Energy Commission will reconvene at 2 p.m. today, to consider contract(s) that implement the Energy Upgrade California program.

Western Riverside has until November 1, 2010, to oppose the Energy Commission's petition filed with the California Court of Appeal.