CITIZENS AND OFFICIALS UNITE TO STOP THE SUEZ RATE HIKE

To the Editor,

The NYS Public Service Commission is poised to make a decision on Suez Water’s demand that Rockland ratepayers pay $54 million for its failed desalination project, which would have drawn our drinking water from the Hudson River downstream from Indian Point nuclear power plant. If approved, ratepayers could be stuck paying a staggering $82 million including interest over 15 years for a project that was not needed, never approved and never started construction. Your participation was critical in stopping this ill-conceived desalination plan. Now we need your help again.  Come out to a public hearing on September 29 to tell the PSC:  Rockland says NO to the outrageous corporate bailout and YES to stronger water conservation plans.

Your voice is needed at this critical fork in the road.  The question is whether the PSC will require forward thinking conservation and repair plans that maximize the smartest conservation options for our drinking water, and that puts people and the environment first.  Or will the PSC instead approve Suez’s inadequate conservation and repair proposals, which could leave us footing the bill yet again for a far more expensive new supply source in just a few years?  We’ve already seen the consequences of poor planning in the form of a $54 million bill for Suez’s white elephant project.  These are some of the reasons that out of 24 parties to the current Suez rate case, only 2 – Suez and the PSC Staff – agreed to support the Suez proposal.

Rockland can do better.  Stand with us at the only public hearing on Thursday, September 29, at 6 p.m. at the Rockland County Legislature, 11 New Hempstead Road, New City. This could be our last chance to get Rockland’s water on the right path before a decision.  Let’s send a message loud and clear that Rockland County expects the PSC to do its job as a regulator and that the days of Suez overspending and underserving are over!

You can find more information online at www.sustainablerockland.org or email [email protected].  Come out to listen or to speak out!

Sincerely,

Peggy Kurtz, George Potanovic, Laurie Seeman

Rockland Water Coalition

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