Why did Tracy resident Carole Dominguez and Michael Boyd of Californians for Renewable Energy wait two years to bring up the possibility that Pacific Gas & Electric Co. committed fraud when it allegedly didn’t announce to the public a safety waiver application for its pipeline under the antenna farm

Just when Tracy residents are starting to see some progress on turning the antenna farm into a youth sports park, they bring this matter to the public. Like Dominguez and hundreds of parents in Tracy, I have children who play soccer and softball and want to see this park completed before they have kids of their own.

We have been waiting patiently, and I am irritated that this could add years of further delays. I was at that Tracy City Council meeting in 2004 when PG&E presented its case on the safety of the pipeline. The entire meeting was to answer questions and concerns about this pipeline and to complete the environmental impact reports. Was Dominguez or Boyd at this meeting

Dominguez’s lawsuit is whether PG&E made it known to the public (through council minutes, video or audio) the waiver to avoid spending $2.5 million on safety work on the high-pressure pipeline. This waiver was approved in December 2004 by the state Public Utilities Commission. So, for two years, not one of our city or youth sports leaders noticed this If they did, I can only assume that they had no objections. For Dominguez and Boyd to wait so long to bring this up makes me wonder if they have other agendas that have nothing to do with the safety of our children playing sports at this location. If their agendas cost our children their chance to play sports at this park and more of our tax dollars in litigation, it is wrong and they should be ashamed.

If the Public Utilities Commission deemed the pipeline was safe, I have to trust its decision. PG&E would not risk future lawsuits and millions of dollars as a result of an accident at this park if it thought the park above the pipeline was unsafe. Let’s hope there won’t be any more delays so we can look forward to completion of the youth sports park.

Linda Ochoa, who has lived in Tracy for 16 years, is a softball and soccer mom.