San Bruno Mayor, State Sen: PG&E 'Committed' to Moving San Bruno Pipeline

KQED's Mina Kim was at the 1 p.m. press conference held by San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane and San Mateo/San Francisco State Sen. Leland Yee. She reports:

• The mayor said that he told PG&E president Chris Johns that it would be "impossible to rebuild the neighborhood" if the pipeline was reactivated there and that Johns said PG&E would do "everything in their power" to move it. PG&E's commitment, Ruane said, came with an "associated commitment" on the part of stakeholders to find another suitable location for the pipeline.
• Yee echoed PG&E's commitment to moving the pipeline but said it couldn't guarantee its relocation because sign-off by regulators and other governmental bodies will be necessary to make it happen.
• A former neighborhood resident whose home was destroyed, Tina Pellegrini, said "In order for me to move back (the pipeline) will have to be removed. I can't go to bed at night knowing that pipeline is there."
• PG&E, interestingly enough, did not participate in the press conference. And their response has been not quite as definitive. Earlier today, the Bay Citizen quoted company spokeswoman Katie Romans:
  

  “We realize nobody wants that pipeline to be rebuilt in the neighborhood. We will work with federal, state and city leaders to evaluate all available options. It will not be a decision that PG&E makes on its own.”

Mina Kim spoke to Leland Yee directly earlier in the day. Here's a clip from that interview and a transcript:

Transcript:

Leland Yee: Chris Johns, who's the president of PG&E did in fact make that commitment to the (San Bruno) mayor....The only hedge I would be making is that he made that commitment, the question now...is the alternative. The devil's in the details and that's where we're sort of at at this particular time.

Mina Kim: Did he reiterate commitment to you at this meeting?

Yee: He was not there, (but) his staff reiterated that. They know it's a tall order It's not going to be easy; but they are committed to finding an alternative, and that's their marching orders at this time.

Related:

• Some San Bruno residents won't rebuild near blast site unless PG&E moves pipe that exploded (San Jose Mercury News)