Lagging state agencies making progress as deadline nears (California)

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Posted at 5:29 p.m. PST Monday, November 29, 1999

Lagging state agencies making progress as deadline nears

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- With just over a month to go until the Year 2000, three state agencies that have been slow to fix their computer systems are making progress, says a new state report.

The agencies monitor toxic cleanups, house veterans and imprison juvenile criminals. The Department of Information Technology, the state's central Y2K agency, had highlighted the three departments in its quarterly report last month.

California's major electric and telephone companies and commuter railroads also say they're ready for Y2K, the state Public Utilities Commission reported Monday.

State lawmakers who have been overseeing state agencies' Year 2000 efforts for several years asked DOIT to give them weekly progress reports on several agencies that have been slow in fixing their computer systems.

The agencies ``have shown continued progress towards Y2K readiness,'' said the latest report, issued Nov. 24.

The Department of Toxic Substances Control has ordered new computer chips for instruments used at its Berkeley laboratory to test soil and gas samples from toxic cleanup sites. Those are scheduled to be installed by Dec. 15, the report said.

Like all agencies that missed the state's September deadline, the department says it has in place a contingency plan to do its work even if the instruments don't work.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs, which runs the state's two homes for 1,600 aged veterans, is still working on several projects, including training pharmacists at the Yountville home on new software that checks on federal benefits for the veterans.

At the California Youth Authority, with 7,900 young criminals in 11 institutions and four camps, installation of a new computer system to track wards' prescriptions was supposed to be finished on Oct. 30, but has slipped to Dec. 3 because of additional requirements, the report said.

An upgrade of two-way radios that connect guards on the fences around the CYA complex in Stockton with the main office is planned for Dec. 6, according to the report.

If the radio problem is not fixed as scheduled, the radios will work on only one frequency, rather than rotating between frequencies as they usually do as a security precaution.

As for the PUC, it relied on reports from the companies, saying that all have certified that their computer systems have addressed potential problems caused by the calendar change to 2000.

The list includes the major privately owned energy companies, such as Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Sempra Energy, which together serve about 75 percent of the state's electricity users and 95 percent of the natural gas users, the commission said. Local government-owned municipal utilities, not regulated by the PUC, serve the remaining customers.

Also certifying themselves as Y2K-compliant were local telephone companies, including Pacific Bell and GTE California; all major passenger commuter railroads and light-rail transit systems; and water companies that deliver about 20 percent of the water used by residents and businesses.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), November 30, 1999

Answers

So Homer,

What's your "take" on California's Y2K compliancy versus "readiness?" And I don't mean contingency plans.

Just curious.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.


Also certifying themselves as Y2K-compliant were (snip) and water companies that deliver about 20 percent of the water used by residents and businesses.

Uhhh, Houston! Does this mean we have a problem??????

-- (snoozin@no.more), November 30, 1999.


"Like all agencies that missed the state's September deadline, the department says it has in place a contingency plan to do its work even if the instruments don't work."

Not to sound facetious but if they can do the work without the instruments working, why do they even have the instruments?

OTOH, how do they test for toxins without instruments, taste test it?

-- just wondering (what.it.is@about.com), November 30, 1999.


Diane,

PG&E describes itself as being "Y2K Ready". When pushed, the representative defined that as being able to serve the customer and excluded systems not directly connected with that. My impression was that that could leave out a lot of systems. I bet there will be heat in the executives' offices but maybe not for anyone else!

-- Evelyn (equus@barn.now), November 30, 1999.


Diane,

As far as compliance goes who knows. I've read many Y2k disclosures and they all sound the same 'we are ready contingent on our suppliers...'

Readiness? That is harder to define. Here is the website of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Notice that they suggest three to seven days of food and other preps.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), November 30, 1999.



Thanks Homer.

Quite sure you carefully monitor the California Y2K situation.

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.


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