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Coalition Letter On Water Shutoffs To New York Legislature
Coalition Letter On Water Shutoffs To New York Legislature
Coalition Letter On Water Shutoffs To New York Legislature
We are grateful for the Legislature’s commitment to maintaining New York’s moratorium
on utility shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, the Legislature passed critical legislation to ensure that New Yorkers have
access to water and other essential utilities during the crisis. A recent study by Duke
University and the National Bureau of Economic Research confirms that utility shutoff
moratoria prevent COVID-19 infections and save lives. New York’s moratorium will
expire on March 31, creating an urgency to extend the moratorium and guarantee
there are no gaps in service.
5. The proposal should take effect immediately upon passage. This will ensure
there is no lapse in shut-off protections between the governor’s monthly
extensions of the state of emergency and passage of the legislation.
6. Require utilities to notify customers of their rights with each utility bill and
develop a standardized notice that utilities must disseminate to inform
customers of their legal rights. A one-time notice, as under the existing law, is
insufficient. Moreover, they must use a model notice issued by the Department of
Public Service.
7. Require that the extended protection period continue for at least 180 days
after a state of emergency ends. Moreover, the Department of Public Service
should be given the authority to extend protections beyond 180 days when
necessary. (In addition, to shutoff protections, the bill’s extended protections
include applying the Home Energy Fair Practices Act’s “deferred payment
agreements” rights to water customers.)
Eric Weltman
Senior Organizer
Food & Water Watch
Larry Levine
Director, Urban Water Infrastructure & Senior Attorney
Natural Resources Defense Council
Robert Hayes
Director of Clean Water
Environmental Advocates of New York
Kristy Meyer
Associate Director
Freshwater Future
Kevin Quinn
Supervising Attorney
Center for Elder Law & Justice
Elizabeth Moran
Environmental Policy Director
NYPIRG
Jonathan Westin
Director
New York Communities for Change
Joe Kelemen
Executive Director
Western New York Law Center
Andrea Ó Súilleabháin
Executive Director
Partnership for the Public Good
Rahwa Ghirmatzion
Executive Director
PUSH Buffalo
Karen Mejia
City Councilmember, Newburgh
Co-Chair of Local Progress NY
Jill Jedlicka
Executive Director
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper