Judge: Fire Victims Trust Needs to be More Transparent

thinkstock_120717_courtroom
thinkstock_120717_courtroom

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

A federal judge has ordered the Fire Victim Trust to be more transparent. Judge Dennis Montali specifically wants more information released from the trust on law firms hired, its lobbying activities and the costs and benefits of lawsuits the trust is bringing against former PG&E executives, vegetation management companies, and other groups. It occurs as claim payouts continue to be slow, the trust’s expenses topped $132 million by the end of last year, and the trust is seeking a $1.5 billion loan from the state as a funding gap. The trust administrator has recently changed hands as Cathy Yanni took over for retired Judge John Trotter who resigned last month.

KSRO’s Michelle Marques spoke will Will Abrams, a 2017 Tubbs Fire Victim and utility-reform advocate, regarding the judge’s order and the state of the trust.