One supervisor for PG&E allegedly had his driveway paved on the power companys dime. More than 80 people were killed. In a letter to PG&E posted to the company's website, Olivero accused PG&E of falsifying accusations to avoid paying bills as the utility still owes the company a substantial sum. Bay Area Concrete stuck around and opened a new dump on PG&E property in Petaluma. PG&E first started disposing of waste in the companys Hayward yard in 2016, and the business expanded to include the cleanup of PG&E yards throughout Northern California. Bay Area Concrete appealed. Kooistra did not respond to attempts to contact him by phone, mail or social media. Liked by Yadwinder singh Happy Shree Krishna Janmashtami #sparkbrains #janmashtami2021 #webdevelopment #searchengineoptimisation #webdesigning Kooistra, a PG&E supervisor in charge of liquid waste disposal whose area included Paradise, found a solution. The allegations track closely with the results of an investigation last year by ProPublica and the Bay City News Foundation, which found that PG&E had overlooked numerous warning signs when it hired Bay Area Concrete. PG&Es counterclaim, filed earlier this month, names Bay Area Concrete, both former PG&E employees, Singh, Johal, several of their other companies and Bay Area Concrete CEO Kevin Olivero as defendants. In response to a long list of questions, PG&E provided a brief statement that did not directly address how warning signs like the company owners' long conflict with the city of Hayward and participation in an illegal dumping operation were overlooked. Days before the Paradise fire was officially declared contained on Nov. 25, an attorney for Singh and Johal, Steven Benjamin of Sacramento, filed papers with the state for a new real estate company, Regal Rose LLC. PG&E hired Bay Area Concrete to dispose of waste from hydrovac trucks special vacuum trucks that use pressurized water for precise excavation. He received $10 to $15 per truckload. "We were doing a ridiculous amount of volume at a much lower rate than what they could possibly have done." Two days later, Kooistra quit his job, according to the complaint. City staff denied the application. The company is owned and managed by the husband-wife team Yadwinder "Kevin" Singh and Preet Johal, according to local and state documents. Another shell company, CCI Management, was owned by Kooistra and acted as a subcontractor for Bay Area Concrete in Paradise. Lucero, who pleaded guilty in a 2008 case involving the payment of bribes to landfill operators in San Jose, told one of Johal and Singh's employees that he had permission to dump on a national wildlife refuge site on the shores of San Francisco Bay. The company, which declared bankruptcy in January 2019 after the fire, is expected to emerge from it as soon as Wednesday. The litigation process will make this clear in time.. HAYWARD, CA It was a last-ditch effort to save a scofflaw business. Dawn Sweatt, an attorney for Bay Area Concrete, said her clients "vehemently deny" the allegations by PG&E. The driver would pick water up from PG&E yards to haul to Bay Area Concrete's Paradise facility for process and disposal. React . Bay Area Concrete opened a dump in Paradise to take the waste from the cleanup. Bay Area Concrete, operating under the name Slurry Waste Solutions, built a specialized disposal facility in Paradise. You can cancel at any time. It was definitely a battle with the city the whole time, Packal said. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Update: Highway 29, Howell Mountain Road may stay closed through weekend after Napa Valley snows, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, American Canyon delays warehouse amid Vallejo concerns, Homeless people to get permanent housing at former Napa motel, A plan for paid parking set to emerge in Napa three decades after meters were removed, Two arrested in Napa after crash of stolen SUV, police say, Police: Man arrested after Napa apartment break-in, Man dies in apparent Napa County drowning, Browns Valley Road homes approved by Napa City Council, Police: Man arrested after reported knife threat in Napa, American Canyon considers Chicken Guy restaurant amid drive-thru concerns, Premiere Napa Valley fundraiser brings in $3.4 million for the Napa Valley Vintners, American Canyon police arrest Napa man on assault allegation, Catnapped: Napa pet adoption van stolen with cats inside, State, federal officials take different paths trying to stop utilities from causing wildfires, Judge fines PG&E in Camp Fire manslaughter case, laments utility 'cannot be sent to prison', PG&E pleads guilty to 84 deaths in 2018 California wildfire, Millions at Risk of Slipping Into Poverty as COVID-Era SNAP Benefits Set to End, More than 300 words have been added to the English dictionary, Citizens travel to Peru's capitol Lima to protest against Boluarte, Senators react to the end of emergency SNAP benefits. PG&E alleges that Kooistra and Huggins steered PG&E contracts to Bay Area Concrete and other companies controlled by Singh and Johal. Work began on the site in December. The blaze burned for weeks, destroyed 18,804 structures and killed 85 people. At the time, PG&E owed Bay Area Concrete nearly $4 million, according to bankruptcy filings. Another shell company, CCI Management, was owned by Kooistra and acted as a subcontractor for Bay Area Concrete in Paradise. The site was shut down by police and its operator, James Lucero, was convicted of violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Dawn Sweatt, an attorney for Bay Area Concrete, said her clients vehemently deny the allegations by PG&E. A PG&E contractor accused of bribery and fraud during the Camp Fire cleanup had a history of illicit dumping, conflict with regulators and employed a senior manager connected to environmental crimes, according to a new investigation by the Bay City News Foundation and ProPublica. Dawn Sweatt, an attorney for Bay Area Concrete, said her clients vehemently deny the allegations by PG&E. "You need to know what you need to do to control this dust. PG&E first started disposing of waste in the company's Hayward yard in 2016, and the business expanded to include the cleanup of PG&E yards throughout Northern California. In Richmond, a Contra Costa County Environmental Health Division inspector was asked to leave while investigating complaints of an unpermitted solid waste facility. . Johnson's memo said that PG&E had alerted the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees PG&E for the state, but CPUC officials said there was no investigation. The wildfire grew rapidly, driven by winds that fanned flames across the region. PG&E alleges that Kooistra and Huggins steered PG&E contracts to Bay Area Concrete and other companies controlled by Singh and Johal. "We were a little concerned because they owe us a substantial amount of money. PG&Es counterclaim, filed earlier this month, names Bay Area Concrete, both former PG&E employees, Singh, Johal, several of their other companies and Bay Area Concrete CEO Kevin Olivero as defendants. That business grew substantially in November 2018, when a PG&E transmission line sparked a wildfire in Butte County that destroyed more than 18,000 structures and killed 85 people. View the profiles of people named Yadwinder Singh. This article was produced in partnership with the Bay City News Foundation, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. A subordinate is accused of having received a bribe in an unorthodox property transfer of a multimillion-dollar house in a wealthy suburb of San Francisco. In late 2019, PG&E learned of the alleged fraud and launched an investigation. "We're a hypergrowing company, we were exploding," Packal said. This February, as the news organizations began investigating, PG&E publicly accused Bay Area Concrete of defrauding the utility and bribing PG&E employees. In its suit, Bay Area Concrete alleged that it had saved PG&E millions of dollars by doing disposal work in Paradise more cheaply than a competitor. In 16 years, the pair's business empire has grown from a single trucking firm to more than a dozen companies operating in 11 cities throughout the West Coast. By this time, Johal and Singh's companies had expanded rapidly. "It was definitely a battle with the city the whole time," Packal said. They throw lavish holiday parties for their employees and clients and sometimes give expensive presents, like $1,000 gift cards. I don't know what they're going to do. "As we have stated previously, PG&E will continue to hold ourselves and those that do work on our behalf to the highest ethical standards.". Olivero reached an agreement with federal prosecutors to testify against Lucero. The company declined to make Singh or Johal available for an interview. It can also be found online. But Lucero wasn't interested. Huggins retired, and Kooistra sold his home and moved out of state after being confronted by PG&E investigators, the counterclaim by PG&E said. Bay Area Concrete also said that it continued to work for PG&E as other companies fled when the utility declared bankruptcy in January 2019. Ramsey said in an email that he received no further information from PG&E but had determined that his office did not have jurisdiction in the case. Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey confirmed that PG&E contacted his office regarding the allegations and said he is waiting for further information from the utility. City staff described broken promises, obstruction and apparently willful violation of the law. NodeJs<br>2. He currently plays for Haryana Gold of India's UBA Pro Basketball League. PG&E also hired another company owned by Singh and Johal, PMK Contractors, to help build its command center for the fire, according to Packal. In October, the Washington Department of Ecology ordered the company to keep its site clean and halt discharge of wastewater to storm drains. In 16 years, the pair's. "Imagine how cavalier they will be if you approve this permit.". When confronted by PG&E investigators, Huggins told the investigators he had paid the $16,750 bill in cash, which he happened to have on hand in his house. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. PG&E asked Kooistra to turn over his company-issued phone, which he did, but he refused to provide his passcode so investigators could access text messages and other data. "I've spoken to [Bauters] several times, we have a very different opinion about what is appropriate discharge onto the street and what is not," Wilfong said at a Hayward Planning Commission meeting in 2018. Their extensive network of businesses has funded an upscale lifestyle: In 2014, they purchased an 8,500-square-foot home on a wooded ridge outside of Pleasanton for $3.6 million. 90 percent of businesses in Butte County were destroyed in the wildfire. In its suit, Bay Area Concrete alleged that it had saved PG&E millions of dollars by doing disposal work in Paradise more cheaply than a competitor. Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said last year that PG&E alerted his office to the allegations against Bay Area Concrete. Clearly what you are doing now is not working. PG&E's court filing alleges that Regal Rose LLC, a shell company established by Singh, was also in possession of a property in Arizona when it was transferred to Kooistra. He said the utility had offered to pay $9.3 million after the company made a statement accusing PG&E of trying to avoid outstanding fees. PG&E alleges that Huggins was aware of Kooista's actions and did not disclose them. Utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric accused two of its former employees of accepting bribes to funnel business to a waste-hauling company after the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California history. During the 2018 trial, he testified that Lucero had hired him in June 2014 to run the site. "It was definitely a battle with the city the whole time," Packal said. In selecting Bay Area Concrete for the environmentally sensitive job, however, PG&E ignored the firm's history of illegal dumping and conflict with regulators, as well as its employment of a senior manager connected to environmental crimes, according to interviews and a review of court records, public documents and business filings by the Bay City News Foundation and ProPublica. As a result, the value of Bay Area Concrete's contracts with PG&E increased "exponentially" over a period of four years, the lawsuit said. He sold his home in Rocklin and moved to Arizona. According to the countercomplaint, Kooistra denied any wrongdoing or having an interest in the companies, despite the interest being disclosed in public records. PG&E did not say how much the utility believes it was overcharged by Bay Area Concrete as it continues to investigate. "PG&E has initiated an internal review to determine why this wasn't detected earlier, and we will be enhancing our protocols to ensure this doesn't happen again," a PG&E spokesperson wrote. However, on Feb. 14, he died in what investigators said was a snowboarding accident in Oregon's backcountry slopes. He sold his home in Rocklin and moved to Arizona. During public comment, Gerald Carroll, an attorney for another neighbor, D.W. Nicholson, pleaded with the commission to deny the appeal, citing concerns about the health of their employees from dust. The site was shut down by police and its operator, James Lucero, was convicted of violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Olivero also said his firm had saved PG&E and its customers nearly $80 million by setting up the dumpsite outside of Paradise. Bay Area Concrete's contract with PG&E was terminated, and the company is under criminal investigation. In its suit, Bay Area Concrete alleged that it had saved PG&E millions of dollars by doing disposal work in Paradise more cheaply than a competitor. February 26, 2021 / 9:44 AM Driven by gusts of up to 36 mph, the fire was heading straight for Paradise. Bay Area Concrete also said that it continued to work for PG&E as other companies fled when the utility declared bankruptcy in January 2019. Meanwhile, competing companies lost work with PG&E. Later, the news agencies revealed a suspicious real estate transaction that connected Singh and one of the PG&E employees. Bay Area Concrete also said that it continued to work for PG&E as other companies fled when the utility declared bankruptcy in January 2019. The firm was tied to illegal dumping on federally protected wetlands and had engaged in a long conflict with regulators in the city of Hayward, where Bay Area Concrete operates a dump. Singh did not respond to requests for comment. View the profiles of professionals named "Yadwinder Singh" on LinkedIn. Attempts to reach the couple through their attorney, phone calls, social media and mail were unsuccessful. The company says it is being more vigilant about trimming trees around its power lines and replacing outdated equipment before it crumbles. The pair were careful to keep Bay Area Concrete's purchase orders low enough that Huggins would not have to seek approval from his supervisors. In the summer of 2014, Economy Trucking used an illegal dump site in Newark, a nearby suburb, to get rid of thousands of tons of concrete and asphalt, court records show. A Santa Clara University psychology professor said the enormity of the destruction and devastation in Paradise can take an emotional toll on fire victim and leave psychological scars. Huggins retired, and Kooistra sold his home and moved out of state after being confronted by PG&E investigators, the counterclaim by PG&E said. Four days later, he retired. PG&E alleges that Huggins approved false invoices and concealed fraudulent charges throughout PG&Es contract with Bay Area Concrete. To pay the bribes, Singh used a series of real estate transactions involving a 5,600-square-foot home in Saratoga to transfer money to Kooistra, PG&E alleges. A small white sign on the fence reads "Slurry Waste Solutions" in orange. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "This is in addition to avoiding the significant negative environmental impacts that trucking and processing these materials elsewhere in the state would have caused," he wrote. PG&E paid CCI $150,000 over five weeks without knowing that the company was owned by Kooistra, a violation of PG&E employment and supplier policies. That business grew substantially in November 2018, when a PG&E transmission line sparked a wildfire in Butte County that destroyed more than 18,000 structures and killed 85 people. But slurry can be tough to get rid of. The litigation process will make this clear in time.. According to the countercomplaint, Kooistra denied any wrongdoing or having an interest in the companies, despite the interest being disclosed in public records. Singh and Johal negotiated use of the site through Olivero, whom they would later hire to run their flagship company. 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