I attended the California Public Utilities Commission's pre-hearing conference in Ramona for SDG&E's Sunrise Powerlink and waited four hours to speak for a limited one minute on behalf of the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board and the 35,000 residents it represents in opposition to SDG&E's antiquated and unenlightened approach to solving our future power needs. In all fairness to the CPUC commissioners, this was because there were so many people who wanted to speak out and, thankfully, Supervisor Diane Jacob took the time to express the informed concerns of many of us.

Our reasons for opposing the Sunrise Powerlink are twofold. First, this "transmission first" strategy appears to be in contradiction to the Energy Action Plan and the San Diego Regional Energy Strategy 2030, which stress energy efficiency, reducing demand, producing power in-county and renewables before transmission as preferred strategies to attaining our future energy needs. Second, this transmission line would be a visible, audible blight upon our state park and local preserves as well as a fire and health hazard to nearby residents.

I actually felt a little embarrassed for those in the crowd who spoke in favor of the project. I am sorry to say that even the mayor of San Diego sent a letter of support "on behalf of the city," but did not bother to hold any public hearings or get an official opinion on the subject from his own City Council or city attorney. These SDG&E faithfuls repeated verbatim the PR campaign they had been fed. They emphasized only the need for power, the fear of rolling blackouts and begged for a rush to judgment on this line, clearly without having examined the better, more efficient and less destructive alternatives for themselves.

"Don't take too long or look too closely at this project," was the underlying message. Otherwise you might find that there are more efficient, local alternatives that will better add reliability and renewables to our energy mix and that have fewer harmful impacts on our parks, preserves and communities. If that happens, SDG&E/Sempra Energy will not realize the enormous profit they stand to make on the line and there goes our potential funding for other projects.

Don't get me wrong, I too appreciate the funding and stability a big company like Sempra brings to the San Diego region and, if I worked for SDG&E, it would be my job to promote the solution that made the most money for my company. "Job well done" to the SDG&E employees fighting diligently for this project, because it is their job to maximize shareholder value and not ratepayer value. However, it is easy to see that these two objectives are often at odds. And it is always difficult to understand the opposing view when your job depends upon not understanding it.

On the other hand, it is the job of the CPUC and our elected officials to do what is best for the residents and ratepayers of California who value their treasured, shrinking open space. They should be unbiased in their evaluation of this project. They should follow state energy policy, protect our state park and take the time to examine all the alternatives and evaluate whether this is truly the best solution for our future energy needs or simply the only solution SDG&E and Sempra are willing to offer. Only in this way can we ensure that the CPUC commissioners, and not the likes of Enron, are the smartest guys in the room.

San Diego resident Laura Copic is a member of the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board and Carmel Valley Concerned Citizens.