It was a strong evening for the Environment & Commerce Committees during yesterday's Special Session. We made strides to enhance the current Environmental Justice Law, and took the first steps toward holding utility companies accountable.
| While testifying in support of the Take Back Our Grid Bill, I called out the utility companies in Connecticut who are putting profits over people.
The Legislation Will:
- Establish Performance Based Ratemaking
- Establishes standards the utilities must meet
- Develops metrics for determining progress
- Allows the issuance of penalties if the utilities fail to meet the standard
- Require the utilities to provide bill credits from $25 daily to a $250 total claim for food and medicine, as well as reduced charges to residential customers without power lasting more than 96 hours.
- Tie the portion of executive salaries that come from ratepayers to the company's performance.
- Develop minimum staffing levels for lineman, communications personnel and others to make sure the utilities respond to storms quickly and convey timely information to their customers.
|
|
| I was also able to testify on the Environmental Justice Law Bill, or H.B. 7008, which calls for enhancements to the State's current EJ Laws. I took the lead on drafting this bill because of its direct impacts on the Waterbury Community, which has fallen victim to these pollutant entities for far too long. |
|
| House Majority Leader, Matt Ritter, also spoke in support of the EJ Law Bill. |
|
