1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to revive and pass Senate Bill 256, introduced by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez. This critical legislation aims to prevent catastrophic wildfires caused by investor-owned utilities like Southern California Edison. The recent failure of this bill in Sacramento is deeply concerning, especially in light of the devastating Eaton fire that ravaged Altadena in January. SB 256 would implement crucial measures to make power infrastructure safer and less prone to starting wildfires. These include removing decommissioned power lines, improving wildfire mitigation planning, enhancing emergency response efforts, undergrounding power lines, and fostering closer collaboration between utilities, emergency services, and local communities. The need for this legislation is clear and urgent. Decommissioned power lines serve no benefit to the public or customers; they only pose a significant risk for starting wildfires.What's particularly frustrating is that SB 256 had no formal opposition. By passing SB 256, you will be holding utilities accountable for reducing fire risks and demonstrating your commitment to the safety and well-being of California residents. It is long past time that this work should have been done; please don’t waste any more. Revive SB 256 and push for its swift passage to protect our communities from the devastating impact of wildfires caused by neglected power infrastructure.