On February 14, 2024, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a proposed decision denying the City of Norco’s petition to reconsider the full undergrounding alternative of the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP), which will construct above-ground transmission lines in a fire-prone area along Norco’s portion of the Santa Ana River.
The City of Norco is extremely disappointed in this preliminary ruling and urges the CPUC to consider how above-ground transmission lines lead to devastating and deadly wildfires in small, wind-prone and fire-prone communities like Norco.
The CPUC will make a final determination on March 21, 2024, however residents may utilize the resources compiled below to request that the CPUC support undergrounding the RTRP.
For more information or assistance, email info@ci.norco.ca.us.
How do I learn more about the City of Norco's request to underground the RTRP?
What can I do to support undergrounding the RTRP?
- Email the Commissioners
- If the link above does not work correctly, copy the following email addresses into a new email and use subject "Proceeding A1504013 - Underground RTRP"
- alice.reynolds@cpuc.ca.gov; genevieve.shiroma@cpuc.ca.gov; darcie.houck@cpuc.ca.gov; john.reynolds@cpuc.ca.gov; karen.douglas@cpuc.ca.gov
- Post comment to the Comment Portal
- Click the link above, input the proceeding number A1504013, then click on the public comment tab.
- Call and provide one minute of public comment at two upcoming CPUC meetings
I want to show my support, but what should I say?
The City of Norco is asking that the CPUC...
- Reject the Administrative Law Judge's (ALJ) preliminary decision; and
- Grant a hearing for the City's Petition for Reconsideration for undergrounding the RTRP, based on the fact that fire risk has become far worse
Some other key points for calls or emails:
- The City of Norco's petition makes it very clear that the CPUC should give this matter a hearing, considering all that has changed since the RTRP decision was made.
- Multiple fire experts have said that fire risk is very high in our area, and has gotten far worse in recent years.
- Installing new overhead power transmission lines creates additional fire risk and does not make sense for this fire-prone area.
- Evacuations during fires in Norco are complicated by the Santa Ana River blocking escape to the north, hills to the east, narrow streets, and the many horses and animals that would also need evacuation.
- Residents should share their own experiences with fires in the area of the proposed RTRP route (essentially the area of the Santa Ana River and headed east into La Sierra).
- The proposed towers, nearly 200 feet tall, will diminish property values and impact the disadvantaged communities in La Sierra.
- The draft decision does not acknowledge all the petitions, letters, and emails that were sent to the Commissioners, asking the CPUC to give this matter a hearing.
- We support Riverside's need for a second connection to the State's electrical grid, but that should be built with underground lines, not using dangerous, unsightly overhead transmissions lines.
Where can I learn more about the steps the City of Norco has taken to underground the RTRP?
