TRANSCRIPT OF SEGMENT
Madison Aument: For 91.9 KVCR News, I’m Madison Aument, and this is Economics IE. This week, I’m doing a quick roundup of some local economic news… from wildfire lawsuits to workforce trends and gas prices across the Inland Empire. Let’s start with Southern California Edison.
Last week, the U.S. Justice Department filed two lawsuits against the company, alleging that Edison’s negligence sparked both the Eaton and Fairview Fires. The Fairview Fire burned nearly 14,000 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest back in 2022. According to the lawsuit, the fire started in Hemet when a sagging power line owned by SoCal Edison came into contact with a messenger cable operated by Frontier Communications.
Federal prosecutors say Edison didn’t properly maintain its power lines in that area… and failed to ensure enough clearance between its lines and Frontier’s. The Justice Department is asking for about $37 million in damages, including $20 million just for fire suppression costs.
Bill Essayli: "We believe that the evidence is clear that Edison is at fault, and by their own admissions, no one else is at fault. This number only represents the damage to the United States government. It is our intention that Southern California Edison, the company itself, and not the ratepayers, will bear the burden of these costs."
Aument: That’s Bill Essayli, Acting U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District. He announced the lawsuits at a press conference last week.
Essayli: "We want Edison to change the way it does business. It does not maintain its infrastructure in a way to prevent fires."
Aument: And it’s not just the Fairview Fire. The government is also seeking around $40 million from Edison for damages related to the Eaton Fire. Southern California Edison didn’t respond to our request for comment in time for broadcast.
Shifting now to employment… A new analysis from the Pew Research Center shows that about 1.2 million immigrants have left the U.S. workforce since President Trump took office in January. That number includes both documented and undocumented immigrants.
And here in California, the impact is especially noticeable. As of 2023, California is home to about 28% of the entire country’s immigrant population. Riverside also ranks among the top 20 U.S. cities with the highest number of immigrant residents.
In more local labor news, the Inland Empire’s unemployment rate in July was 6.4%. That’s a bit higher than where it was this time last year.
And if you’ve noticed gas prices dipping a little… you’re not wrong. After a bump over Labor Day weekend, prices are slowly coming down. In Riverside, the average price per gallon is $4.50, about a cent lower than this time last year. In San Bernardino County, it’s $4.54. Statewide, the average is $4.60. According to the Oil Price Information Service, California’s gasoline inventory is at its highest level in two months, which is helping to stabilize prices.
That’s your roundup for this week on Economics IE. You can find this segment online at kvcrnews.org/econie. Economics IE is supported by the Nowak Family. For KVCR News, I’m Madison Aument.
