As the NTSB mulls whether to hold a federal hearing in D.C. on the San Bruno blast investigation, news arrives from PG&E that San Franciscans may face a natural gas shortage this winter due to the loss of the high-pressure line that ruptured September 9. PG&E mentioned this, almost as an afterthought, in a public meeting held yesterday at the San Bruno Senior Center, in the midst of trying to mollify the concerns of Peninsula residents, saying that their gas supplies should be sufficient. In S.F., however, it's looking like they'll be setting up "mobile gas solutions" in order to make up for the shortage if temperature stay low up in the city.

As for San Bruno residents who received one-time payouts from PG&E ($50,000 for those whose homes were destroyed, and $15,000 for those whose homes were damaged), the main concern was about whether the IRS was going to tax them on these payouts. Rep. Jackie Speier is lobbying to get the IRS to grant an exception.

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Five San Bruno Families, One Burlingame Lawyer, Bring New Suits Against PG&E