Update: Public Safety Power Shutoffs

Posted on October 23, 2019November 20, 2019 by Nate Rose

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PSPS Event – (Nov. 20, 2019)

Pacific Gas & Electric has issued a Public Safety Power Shutoff beginning Nov. 20 for an undetermined length of time. For a list of impacted communities, click here. If you live in impacted communities, PG&E will attempt to contact you via telephone, text and email.

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Waivers for Out-of-State Power Generators

If you are obtaining a generator from outside of California, here is a summary of the requirements you need consider:

Because of the recent PSPS events, many businesses are working to secure backup generators, sometimes from out-of-state.

The engine to be used is certified to meet a California or federal emission control standard;

The owner or operator demonstrates that there is an immediate temporary need to operate the engine to help alleviate a threat to public health and safety that is the result of a reasonably unforeseen event, that is beyond the control of the owner or operator;

The owner or operator notifies CARB within 24 hours of commencing operation; and

The engine is operated only for duration of the Emergency Event, or up to 12 months, whichever comes first.

The link to the waiver Form 40 is: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/perp_form40.pdf

Please email the Form 40 notifications to: [email protected]

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PSPS Warning – (Oct. 29, 2019)

Weather conditions, including potential fire risk, have been forecast that may impact electric service to portions of our service area. If a decision is made to turn off power, we expect to start turning off power for safety as outlined below. If you live in these communities, PG&E will attempt to contact you via telephone, text and email.

Outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours. For planning purposes, PG&E suggests customers prepare for outages that could last several days.

PSPS Warning – (Oct. 25, 2019)

Outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours. For planning purposes, PG&E suggests customers prepare for outages that could last several days.

PSPS Warning – (Oct. 23, 2019)

PG&E has confirmed it will shut off power to portions of 17 counties, including some in the Sierra Foothills, North Bay, San Mateo and Kern Counties, Oct. 23, due to necessary gusting winds and the threat of a major wildfire.

The shutoff is expected to impact approximately 179,000 customers in 17 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba.

For a list of impacted customer counts and cities per county, see www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

Timeline for safety shutoffs:

The shutoffs are expected to begin around 2 p.m. in the Sierra Foothills, 3 p.m. in the North Bay counties, and approximately 1 a.m. Thursday in affected areas of San Mateo and Kern counties.
Forecasts indicate the peak period of winds should end about noon Thursday in the Sierra Foothills, North Bay and San Mateo County, and around noon Friday in Kern County.
Once the high winds subside, PG&E will inspect the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event, and then restore power. PG&E will safely restore power in stages as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring the vast majority of customers within 48 hours after the weather has passed.

Find more information about how to prepare for a shutdown.

CGA Weighs in on Power Shutoffs

Posted on October 25, 2019October 25, 2019 by Ron Fong

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In the past month PG&E power shutoffs have quickly become the new normal in California as the energy company works to mitigate wildfire across the state.

Because of the impact on our grocery community, CGA has taken a leading role in becoming a stakeholder for emergency planning solutions, but also in making our industry’s voice heard in the broader public.

On Thursday, October 25, The Wall Street Journal interviewed CGA CEO and President Ron Fong, who shared why grocery stores are among those most impacted by the recent shutdowns.

Grocery stores have been among the most affected during the shutdown because of their perishable inventory. Preliminary numbers indicate that grocers in California lost anywhere from $3,000 to $100,000 a store from the last blackout, said Ronald Fong, chief executive of the California Grocers Association trade group.

While many smaller grocers are planning to buy generators this year, Mr. Fong said it is a strain for them. Generators can cost $100,000 to buy and $20,000 a day to rent.

The Association has also worked to advocate for the industry at the Capitol, penning a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and PG&E. You can read the letter below.

PSPS Letter to Governor and PG&E Download

Gov. Newsom Signs Bill Offering Recycling Relief to Grocers

Posted on October 14, 2019February 21, 2020 by Nate Rose

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AB 54 provides a temporary fix to state’s recycling program.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. –Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 54 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) over the weekend, delivering California’s grocery community a much-needed respite from the state’s recycling crisis.

The California Grocers Association (CGA) supported the bill and led the policy discussion concerning a temporary fix for California’s faltering recycling system.

“In the aftermath of this year’s surprise rePlanet closures, CGA stepped in to offer policy solutions to support the grocery industry, California’s environmental values, and the customers served by our industry,” said CGA President and CEO Ron Fong. “We applaud Assemblymember Ting’s sincere effort to craft a balanced policy approach that takes into account the unforeseen burden recycling center closures would place on grocers — especially due to the fact grocers did nothing to cause these closures.”

Under the newly-signed law, grocers impacted by recycling center closures that occurred between August 1 and September 1, 2019 are exempt from in-store bottle redemption and the $100-per-day fees in lieu of recycling, until March 1, 2020. Retailers located in unserved convenience zones will now be able to partner with recyclers outside store location parking lots.

The bill also provides additional funding for low-performing recycling centers and earmarks budget resources for mobile recycling pilot programs.

“A number of our member companies have been working to spearhead mobile recycling initiatives,” Fong explained. “We’re excited the Governor saw the need for immediate action and that legislative efforts lined up behind new and innovative approaches to recycling.”

Because AB 54 contained an Urgency Clause, the bill went into effect upon its signing. This means any affected grocer will immediately benefit from the new law.

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The California Grocers Association is a non-profit, statewide trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 300 retail members operating over 6,000 food stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 150 grocery supplier companies.

Explore Your Industry

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 by Nate Rose

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The Magazine Built for California’s Grocery Community

With each issue, California Grocer takes in-depth looks at the most important political and business issues impacting our industry. In Issue 4, we provide a teardown of CBD, while in the recently published Issue 5, we build upon the topics explored during the 2019 CGA Strategic Conference to learn more about the gaps between our businesses and customers, employees, and new technologies.

Visit our online archive, or set aside your print copy for a Sunday morning read.

Gallery: 2019 CGA Strategic Conference

Posted on October 4, 2019October 14, 2019 by Nate Rose

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Another Fantastic Conference is in the Books

From the entire CGA team, thank you for a great three days in Palm Springs, Calif. We hope you found this year’s conference productive and full of inspiring ideas.

Have feedback? Feel free to open up the conference app and complete any of the available surveys!

Mark your calendars! Next year’s conference will take place September 27-29, 2020.

Register: Independent Operators Symposium 2020

Posted on October 3, 2019February 21, 2020 by Nate Rose

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With CGA Strategic Conference behind us, we are speeding into the holiday season and new year. The 2020 Independent Operators Symposium is the signature event for independent retailers, providing a relaxing environment to reset and renew the vision you have for your business.

The 2020 Symposium will take place January 12-19, 2020, at the Fairmont Kea Lani on the beautiful island of Maui. Register today, or learn more about this annual retreat.

Subscribing My Way Out Of A Food Rut

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 by Kimberly Miller

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Novelty Services Don’t Take the Place of my regular shopping — in fact, they often encourage me to buy more than I normally would.

By Kimberly Miller
Writer, Actress

There was a time when I considered myself a bit of a gourmand. I read food blogs and cookbooks for fun, watched the Food Network religiously, followed celebrity chefs on social media, and read their memoirs to live vicariously through their escapades.

Each week I spent half my weekend (and paycheck) hopping from shop to shop in search of the perfect ingredients for the complicated, restaurant-worthy dishes I’d make during the week ahead. Making beautiful food was what I did to relax after a long day of work.

Dinner these days is the opposite of relaxing. Each night I make three different meals: one that’s meatless, high in protein and low in carbs for my bodybuilder/vegetarian husband; something “not yucky” for my toddler who considers dinner time a battle Royale; and for myself I make something without soy or dairy since I’m nursing a baby with food allergies. Needless to say I’m just making the same easy to prepare stuff night after night after night.

Insert yawn here.

It’s because of this food rut that I decided to take a chance on a mystery produce delivery subscription. Fruits and vegetables are the only foods everyone in my family can eat at the same time, and I desperately needed to shake things up.

The first box did not disappoint. Garlic scapes! Swiss chard! Teeny tiny sweeter than sweet mangoes! Everything included was stuff that was either too small or too misshapen to sell well in a regular market.

But to me, it was the inspiration I needed to enjoy cooking again. Something I hadn’t done in a long time. I could make my own compound butter with the garlic scapes. Steam and sauté the Swiss chard and serve with a beautiful fillet of salmon, make a mango lassi to go along with the aloo gobi I’d make from the potatoes and fresh cauliflower in the box.

Hooked, I immediately signed up for a weekly subscription to the service, but after about a month realized that while I loved the novelty and the inspiration it provided me, I also craved control over the contents of my fridge. We’re a family with two working parents and two kids — I need a plan! SO now I get a box every two months instead, enough to revive my zeal for cooking, but not so much that it goes to waste because we just don’t have the time to get creative every night.

Novelty services like this one don’t take the place of my regular shopping — in fact, they often encourage me to buy more than I normally would — what they do is break up the monotony of a yawn-worth grocery list.

While I only get a surprise produce bo on my doorstep every couple of months, I’m now taking more chances when I roam the aisles of my regular store each week. Sure, my toddler may not like kabocha squash, but he won’t know unless he tries it.