Legislator Wolfe Seeks Party Status to Second UWNY Petition

New City, NY (July 15, 2013) – Vice Chairman of the Rockland County Legislature Alden H. Wolfe has submitted a request to the NYS Public Service Commission for “party status” in the matter of United Water New York’s July 5, 2013 petition for a rate increase.  This is the second time in a period of two weeks that Wolfe has requested party status with regard to the utility’s requests to increase the cost of its customers’ water service.  In June, the utility submitted a petition to add a surcharge to customers’ quarterly bills effective August 1, 2013 as a means to recoup the $54 million in pre-construction costs it claims to have spent to develop the Haverstraw Water Supply Project, a proposed desalination plant on the Hudson River.  The utility claims that the rate increase would compensate it for recent infrastructure improvements and increases in property tax liabilities.  Customer bills would increase by $36 per quarter for the general rate increase and $15 per quarter for the desal plant surcharge.

Wolfe explained that party status in both cases would allow him to submit comments and testimony, and to participate in evidentiary hearings, conferences and other formal events that pertain to the petitions.

Wolfe added that party status to the rate increase petition “will give me the opportunity to push for increased commitment to conservation initiatives, a more palatable and affordable solution to remedy our water supply situation.  It remains that UWNY fails to address the results of the report by the U.S. Geological Survey, which brought to light that our aquifer is continually replenished.  Conservation programs would serve to strengthen our supply and are an important piece of the overall supply picture, being nowhere as costly or potentially damaging as a desal plant.” 

“Above it all, I want to know that their intentions are in the best interests of its ratepayers,” said Wolfe.

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