Second commissioner recuses himself on gas explosion case

A second member of the California Public Utilities Commission said he will not participate in an upcoming vote over whether to levy penalties on Pacific Gas & Electric for alleged negligence in a fatal 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion.

Commissioner Michael Florio said in a court filing Wednesday that he would not take part in the deliberations.

A PUC administrative law judge has proposed fining the San Francisco company $1.4 billion. The explosion killed eight people, wounded 66 and destroyed 38 homes in the San Francisco Bay Area bedroom community of San Bruno.

“The city of San Bruno has requested such action, and I will honor that request,” Florio wrote in a document he filed in the San Bruno case.

San Bruno officials welcomed Florio’s announcement but cautioned that it did not go far enough.

“We continue to call for his removal or resignation from the commission,” said City Manager Connie Jackson.

Florio’s decision came a month after PUC President Michael Peevey took himself off the San Bruno case. San Bruno officials have accused both Peevey and Florio of having improper, one-sided communications with top PG&E executives about the San Bruno case and other proceedings at the commission. The alleged overly “cozy” relationships were revealed in a series of emails released by the PUC and PG&E in recent months.

The three other members of the commission constitute a quorum and can legally decide the penalty question.

Last week, Peevey said he would not seek reappointment as commission president when his second six-year term expires at the end of the year.

PG&E in corporate filings has confirmed that it was contacted by federal prosecutors about the emails.

Twitter: @MarcLifsher