Dianne Feinstein: “California is a very large floral producer. I would like to read a brief quote from the California State Floral…”

“California is a very large floral producer. I would like to read a brief quote from the California State Floral Association. While our state decision makers have devoted most of their attention to the supply and cost of electrical energy, it is the high cost of natural gas that is of the greatest concern to our grower members. They have seen their natural gas bills increase by five to six fold. For example, one of our nurseries reports having their monthly gas bills increase from $26,000 in December of 1999 to $145,000 in January of 2001. This is fairly typical of the industry. I have a letter from the H.K. Canning company which states that they are going to be forced out of business because of the high costs of energy today in California.”