Schwarzenegger's Office - Continues to Block Release of China Documents

In a previous post, I outlined efforts to obtain information about an energy cooperation agreement California signed with Jiangsu Province on October 3, 2009.  

The Governor's office refused to release any documents, except its original press release.

After  I asked about the CPRA (California Public Request Act) philosophy favoring public disclosure over non-disclosure, I received this May 17, 2010 reply  "public disclosure does clearly favor nondisclosure in this case"

Why a secret?

Of course, I do not know.   There are several private groups with indirect or direct ties to California, China and this MOU.  C3, for example, was started by CalEPA  under this MOU, but seems to operate privately. (CPRA request is pending.) Other private groups claim involvement with the MOU, but the State has refused to release information.

Last year, the The Sacramento Bee wrote about one such private group, CFEE.net, which pays for regulators and legislators to take overseas trips.  
Because California businesses join on these private trips, there is potential for conflict-of-interests, according to the Bee article.

CFEE.net (California Foundation on Energy and the Environment) turned up in a recent CPRA request of the California Public Utilities Commission. CFEE paid for A "Legislative and Regulatory Delegation" to China last fall, some two weeks after the MOU was signed.  Two CPUC members participated, asserting benefits to California.  The CPUC referred questions to CFEE for more information about the trip.

In private communications, CFEE.net  denied any knowledge of the California-Jiangsu MOU.   However, the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)  is represented on its Board and the same NRDC was also one of the champions of the California-Jiangsu MOU.

I hope the State will shed light on these and other MOUs that the State has signed with China or elsewhere.  People such as Susan Kennedy (Gov Chief of Staff), Dian Grueneich (CPUC) promised to reply with information, but did not.  I have asked the ARB, CEC and gotten nowhere (CPRA requests have been filed.)

If "public-private partnerships" are to be believed, the public has a right to know.