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The Utility Reform Network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
TURN
Formation1972 (1972)
FounderSylvia Siegel
TypeNon-profit Organization
Legal statusActive
PurposeRepresent utility consumers
HeadquartersSan Francisco
Websitehttp://www.turn.org

TURN (The Utility Reform Network) is a consumer advocacy organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. In 1972, Sylvia Siegel started TURN in her kitchen to represent consumers before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which she felt was overly focused on the interests of its regulated industries at the expense of consumers.[1] Harry Reasoner interviewed Siegel about her work with TURN on CBS's 60 minutes in 1984.

On January 1, 2008, Mark Toney became the executive director of TURN. Toney is a Brown University graduate, who later earned his Ph.D. in Sociology at UC Berkeley. Toney also founded DARE (Direct Action for Rights and Equality) to organize low-income families in Providence, Rhode Island in 1986.

California Governor Jerry Brown appointed former TURN attorney Michael Florio to the California Public Utilities Commission in 2011.[2]

Following the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion, TURN filed a motion with the CPUC to "compel Pacific Gas and Electric Company to respond to data requests seeking production of documents to determine if PG&E engaged in other efforts to undermine due process in this case."[3]

References

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  1. ^ David Cay Johnston (22 August 2007). "Sylvia Siegel, Activist on Utility Rates, Is Dead at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
  2. ^ Marc Lifsher (January 26, 2011). "Brown names consumer advocate to utilities commission". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  3. ^ "A13-12-012 TURN Motion to Compel final with corrected attachments". Archived from the original on 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2015-02-02.
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