Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. . Even after the state of emergency is lifted or expires, utilities are "prohibited from disconnecting residential customers for nonpayment if the customer says they have been financially harmed by COVID," the PSC spokesman said. NYCHA building. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.4 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit www.conEd.com. Amber Johnson is the organizing and training director at the New York Energy Democracy Alliance (NYEDA). Wed be talking about something that benefits all of us.. But Ms. Kerr had good news, telling her that she qualified for the states Fresh Start program. Con Edison will temporarily suspend any electric and gas shutoffs for customers that are having payment difficulties related to COVID-19 coronavirus. Hit By Soaring Con Ed Bills? Residential and small business customers will have an additional 30-day grace period, during which time ComEd will not disconnect service for nonpayment to help customers get back on their feet. Ms. Huba said she paid $500 toward the $1,400 she owed Con Edison in hopes of averting a shutoff notice. Theyre going into debt to pay for a fracked gas pipeline that they said that they didnt want built through their community.. Major utilities have agreed to suspend utility shut-offs, a particular concern for people who may be out of work and cannot afford to pay their bills. There is merit to the idea that air-conditioning is helpful during a pandemic, as the US board ASHRAE said. update email soon. AT&T said it would drop data caps for its residential internet customers. But he noted that not everyone will have trouble paying their utility bills if theyre under quarantine. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. But its gotten worse during the pandemic. This is not a bill that I can afford to pay.. Residents are worried about de facto deregulation in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood thanks to limited enforcement of the largely voluntary systems landlords use to register rent-stabilized apartments. Thanks for signing up. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. It includes electric heat. If you have an experience or insight to share or have learned something from a conference or seminar, your peers and colleagues on Energy Central want to hear about it. The citys housing agency is also suing, seeking to have heat and hot water restored to residents suffering multiple plagues. Customers can manage their accounts online and learn more about payment plans and options. This new law provides several important safeguards for residential utility customers by: One limitation of this new law is that it requires reconnections only for utility services that were terminated during the COVID-19 state of emergency. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. Though the shutoff number may appear large, utilities regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility . Water service has also drawn attention. The PUC's order will still prohibit utilities from shutting off "protected customers" whose income is no more than triple the Federal Poverty Guidelines, which are set at $26,200 for a family of four, so the yearly limit for such a family would be $78,600.The protected customers must apply for available assistance programs and request a payment arrangement from the utility to pay down . Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) The California legislature approved the California Arrearage Payment Program (CAPP) in the 2021-2022 State Budget. After hearing about the states assistance programs, she reached out to the Affordable Housing Alliance in Monmouth County, which counsels New Jersey residents on how to seek help in paying rent and utility bills. The proclamations said that customers "shall not be charged" late fees for energy, telecommunications, or water services between March 23, 2020, and September 30, 2021. Therefore, in addition to the protections included in this new law, it remains vital to ensure that service is restored promptly to all families, even if they were disconnected before the state of emergency began. If someone claims to be from Con Edison, call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) and check the employee's name and ID. These utility services are vital during this current emergency and, indeed, in everyday life, and their availability should not depend on who can afford them. New York already has requirements for utilities to offer deferred payment agreements before shutting off service, he noted. A 2021 Rocky Mountain Institute report found that gas utilities pass the cost of building new pipelines and mains onto customers, to the tune of hundreds of millions annually, which locks in the use of fossil gas for decades to come. For an optimal experience visit our site on . But 1.2 million households and more than 128,000 businesses across New York State are at least 60 days behind on energy bills, according to monthly reports submitted to the New York State Department of Public Service and analyzed by the Alliance For a Green Economy (AGREE). We must embrace the positive developments so that we can build effectively from them, the progressive economist argues. Paralegal - Consumer Unit This order does NOT excuse customers from paying their bill. Con Edison, the largest utility in the state serving most of New York City, had already informed the Department of Public Service it will suspend all shut-offs in the one-mile radius New Rochelle . Members and sponsors make THE CITY possible. Sheila Oliver. Long Beach officials shut off the gas at Dana Tanner's restaurant after she refused to close her outdoor patio to diners. But producing high-quality, independent work is not cost-free , If you found the piece above useful, informative, or inspiring, please consider supporting, Leanna First-Arai is a freelancejournalistwho coversenvironmental and climate (in)justice. This is a reasonable outcome for ratepayers, Public Service Commissioner John Howard told the USA Today New York Network, noting that the agency approved a lower rate hike than the utility requested. While there is no precedent for a statewide, comprehensive utility debt cancellation program, New York has a reputation for leading on energy and climate. This includes water, sewer and trash pick up services. Imagine having months of accumulated bills and needing to pay those off on top of your monthly bill, in the middle of an ongoing economic crisis. "Promises made not to cut off essential communications service during this time need to be kept," said one FCC commissioner. AT&T said it would waive late-payment . Customers can also find great energy savings tips on the Con Edison. Here's a list of the internet providers offering limited, no-cost internet services during the outbreak. During the early months of the pandemic, 34 states issued power shutoff . In an interview Friday with CNBC, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said the Chicago-based quick service chain has had to temporarily close 50 of its nearly 14,000 U.S . Even though utilities in New York State are no longer prohibited from disconnecting delinquent customers, the last thing that we want to do is to shut anybody off, said Jamie McShane, a spokesman for the company. Receiving this information does not make you a client of our office. To help with ballooning debt, online mutual aid groups across the country, such as @mutualaidmamas, @blackwomenexhale and @dsm_mutual_aid have been busy channeling utility assistance to those most in need. Nationally, the total level of arrears to utility companies is about $22 billion, after peaking at about $32 billion in the spring of 2021, said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. Ms. Inghilleri said she had never fallen so far behind on any bills that she had to seek assistance. Plus, there werent even storm windows. Amtrak Pact Puts MTAs Penn Station Access Megaproject Back on Schedule, Unlicensed Pot Shops Still Selling Weed Following NYPD Shutdown Actions, Contractor Gets Rare Homicide Conviction in Death of Crushed Brooklyn Worker, City Council Passes Raft of Bills to Prevent Rampant Battery Fires, Racial Gap in City Jails Has Only Gotten Worse, John Jay Study Finds, Harlem Tenants Ask Judge to Penalize Landlord of Building Rife With Rats and Leaks, Using a Dormant Agreement Could Deliver a Big Pay Raise to Public Hospital Nurses, 58% of NYCs youngest children dont receive all of their Early Intervention services. As VICE News reported, in August 2021, the Public Service Commission voted 7-0 to approve a rate hike impacting 1.9 million residents, $129 million of which was earmarked to build National Grids North Brooklyn Pipeline, which has faced significant community opposition. Public Works will NOT SHUT OFF OR STOP SERVICES for customers who are delinquent or behind in service or permit payments until this order is lifted. The gap in services is particularly acute in The Bronx, where more than two-thirds of children did not receive all of the therapies they could have. But Im not rich.. LCRA Her work has appeared in, To donate by check, phone, bitcoin, or other method, see our, Gender-Affirming Care Ban in KY Could Have Deadly Consequences, Experts Warn, Walgreens Restricting Abortion Pill Sales Due to Coordinated GOP Threat, TX Lawmaker Proposes Tax Cuts for Straight Parents Who Have Never Been Divorced, East Palestine Residents Confront Norfolk Southern at Town Hall Meeting, Truthout Center for Grassroots Journalism, White Supremacy Set the Stage for Texas Miserable Disaster Response, more likely to live in energy-inefficient housing, most ambitious state-level climate legislation. After finding work as a receptionist in November, Ms. Rivera, 35, got help from the Public Utility Law Project in arranging an unusual payoff term. (Courtesy Dana Tanner) By Alene Tchekmedyian Staff Writer. Public Power Council Thank you @NewYorkHunger for spreading this essential information. Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. Utilities can shut off your service only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Monday through Thursday. Senior decision-makers come together to connect around strategies and business trends affecting utilities. If people are quarantined or out of work due to a widespread economic slowdown, some advocates say they shouldnt have to worry about having the lights or heat turned off. 2020: During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 170 Con Edison employees tested positive for COVID-19 and three died. Andrew Cuomo during a press conference Friday. Some states have gotten involved in notable ways too. No, this shutoff protection is only a grace period to allow you more time to pay your bill. LCRA But for most of the last two years, as the pandemic inflicted widespread financial hardship, overdue utility payments have soared. PSEG bills may include atermination notice but aspokeswoman said the note is only there for technical reasons, and users should instead refer to a message in smaller type above it. ", Just beneath is a note that says because of an allegedly unpaid balance, "your service is scheduled to be turned off if payment is not received by Oct. 19, 2020. She and her fianc kept three space heaters going to supplement the heat supplied by their oil-burning furnace. Portland, Oregon, Electric Utility Engineer I/II/III PG&E, the utility responsible for some of California's deadliest fires, is hurting people by shutting off power. prohibiting shutoffs during the COVID-19 state of emergency for non-payment of a utility bill; requiring reconnection, within 48 hours of disconnection, for utility service that had been shut off . City of Santa Clara Curtailing shut-offs is good public policy to make sure New Jersey residents arent left in the lurch as theyre dealing with coronavirus, said Eric Miller, director of the Natural Resources Defense Councils New Jersey energy policy program. Marin Clean Energy (MCE) Pennsylvania utilities have cut off service to 116,000 customers for nonpayment since the state lifted a moratorium on shutoffs on April 1 after a staggering number of unpaid bills piled up during the coronavirus pandemic. Managing Attorney If you receive food stamps, temporary assistance or Social Security benefits, you may already be enrolled in a program that offers a discount on your bills. Visit https://t.co/QFnsFxkFZB! If you are having trouble paying your electric, sewer, or water bills, you may be eligible to avoid disconnection through the Winter Termination Program. For those behind on bills, says Avni Pravin, deputy policy director at AGREE, it is essential that residents respond to shut off notices, because utilities are required to establish a payment plan with customers. Now is not the time to be worrying about late payments or bills.
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