New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie's Administration, today turned its green
guns on the state's Board of Public Utilities.
"Today the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) held their first meeting following the major failure of our grid and utilities to handle the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Instead of trying to figure out what happened the BPU spent more time on public relations than they actually did on public policy or real oversight on what happened," Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel said in a news release.
"Over 2.5 million residents lost power following Hurricane Sandy and the BPU was virtually invisible during the recovery. The agency did not hold any press conferences, public announcements or information sessions. Their response was an outrageous failure of government and we need more oversight of the utilities," Tittle charged.
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| Jeff Tittel - Photo by Jim Pathe (Star-Ledger) |
it came to responses to the impacts of the storm."
"They spent more time saying how well prepared the utilities were when that doesn't even meet the straight face test. Virtually everyone in New Jersey saw the failures and incompetence by the utilities,” Tittel said.
Calling the
BPU, the ‘Board of Promoting Utilities,’ Tittel said the agency seems "to care more about
utilities making money than protecting customers and rate payers."
"There
has been a complete power failure from them in holding utilities accountable
for blackouts,” he said.
Tittel called for "an independent investigation to examine into the response of the BPU and the utilities in the storm and what oversight, transparency, and regulatory changes should be made."
Tittel called for "an independent investigation to examine into the response of the BPU and the utilities in the storm and what oversight, transparency, and regulatory changes should be made."
"Governor Cuomo has called for such a panel in New York state and we should have one here as well," he said.
That's what the Sierra Club has to say. How about you? Let us know in the comment box below. If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny 'comments' line.
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