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Governmentrelationsupd Water Utility Council of the PA-Section, American Water WUC Works Association (PA-AWWA) GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATE From Gmerek Government Relations, Inc. 212 Locust Street Suite 300 Harrisburg, PA 17101 Phone: 717-234-8525 Cell: 717-574-3963 Fax: 717-234-8812 Erik A. Ross, Senior Lobbyist www.ggrgov.com Harrisburg, PA [email protected] March 30, 2015 -- Issue 935 PA- Section, American Water Works Association National Association of Water Companies Water Works Operators' Association of Pennsylvania The Presidents Award’s goals are the highest Norristown Water possible level of performance that can be achieved Treatment Plant Achieves in the four-phase program. The award recognizes achieving Phase IV’s stringent individual filter Highest Level of performance goals for turbidity (cloudiness). Performance “Our Norristown team worked very hard to earn the Presidents Award, and this recognition is a ennsylvania American Water’s Norristown testament to their expertise and dedication to better Water Treatment Plant, which serves serve our customers,” said Paul Zielinski, senior P approximately 32,000 customers in director of water quality and environmental Montgomery County, has received the prestigious compliance for Pennsylvania American Water. Presidents Award from the Partnership for Safe “Reaching this elite status is a significant Water. The program is a volunteer initiative achievement in our ongoing efforts to not only meet developed by the U.S. EPA, Pennsylvania stringent performance goals but also improve the Department of Environmental Protection, American quality of our water.” Water Works Association (AWWA) and other organizations representing water suppliers that The Partnership for Safe Water is a voluntary continuously provide water quality that surpasses self-assessment and optimization program for water regulatory standards. treatment plant and distribution system operation. More than 250 utility subscribers, collectively Pennsylvania American Water’s facility has been serving more than 100 million people, are participating in the Partnership since 1996. The committed to the Partnership’s goals of providing Norristown plant received the Directors Award in safe, high-quality drinking water through achieving 2000, and it is the only Pennsylvania facility to earn operational excellence in water treatment. the Presidents Award this year. Only three Partnership members participate in a rigorous four- Pennsylvania water systems were recognized in phase self-assessment and peer review process, 2014 for achieving the honor. This is Pennsylvania developed by industry experts and are recognized American Water’s second plant to be recognized for their commitment to delivering safe water to with the Phase IV - Presidents Award. their communities. The Partnership for Safe Water is sponsored by homegrown fuel to more Pennsylvania businesses the American Water Works Association, and homeowners.” Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Association of State Drinking Water The Commission voted 5-0 to approve Peoples Administrators, United States Environmental Companies’ implementation of the Service Protection Agency, National Association of Water Expansion Tariff (SET) program, a five-year pilot Companies, and the Water Research Foundation. program intended to reduce the upfront financial barriers faced by potential customers who are Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of interested in receiving natural gas services in areas American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest where gas is currently unavailable. The joint water utility in the state, providing high-quality and settlement was reached among the Peoples reliable water and/or wastewater services to Companies, the Commission’s Bureau of approximately 2.2 million people. Founded in 1886, Investigation and Enforcement, the Office of American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. Consumer Advocate and the Office of Small water and wastewater utility company. With Business Advocate. headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,400 dedicated Under most natural gas company tariffs, a professionals who provide drinking water, customer who wishes to have natural gas service wastewater and other related services to an extended to his or her property must pay the cost of estimated 15 million people in more than 45 states that line extension as an upfront payment, which and parts of Canada. can amount to thousands of dollars. Source: AWWA Press Release, 3/23/2015 The SET program allows eligible residential customers to pay the extension costs through a monthly fixed fee of $55 until the outstanding PUC Approves Peoples principal balance is zero, for a maximum of 25 Natural Gas SET Program to years. If necessary, a customer may pay a portion of the extension cost upfront in order to bring the Increase Affordability, financing period down to 25 years. Residential customers also will have an option to pay the costs Access to Gas Service for the service line through an additional monthly fee of $15, until the outstanding principal balance of n 3/26, 2015, the Pennsylvania Public the service line cost is zero. Utility Commission (PUC) approved a pilot O program that will change the way Peoples Similar pilot programs currently offered in the Natural Gas Company LLC, Peoples Natural Gas Commonwealth include UGI’s Pennsylvania gas Company LLC – Equitable Division and Peoples distribution utilities’ Growth Extension Tariff TWP LLC (collectively Peoples Companies) charge program, which allows eligible customers to pay customers to extend natural gas service to their extension costs over 10 years as a monthly charge; homes. and Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s New Area Service program, which allows eligible customers “Pennsylvania sits on top of one of the largest to pay extension costs over 20 years as a monthly natural gas reserves in the world. As a result, charge. Pennsylvania consumers and businesses should have every reasonable opportunity to take Peoples Companies provide natural gas advantage of this efficient and clean-burning natural distribution, supply and transportation service to resource,” said PUC Commissioner Pamela A. approximately 700,000 customers in western Witmer in a statement. “[We] continue to challenge Pennsylvania. other natural gas utilities operating in underserved or unserved areas of the Commonwealth to begin The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission thinking creatively on how they, too, can bring a balances the needs of consumers and utilities; 2 ensures safe and reliable utility service at The rate reduction follows the Insurance reasonable rates; protects the public interest; Department’s approval of the Pennsylvania educates consumers to make independent and Compensation Rating Bureau’s annual loss cost informed utility choices; furthers economic filing. These loss costs are used to determine the development; and fosters new technologies and premiums businesses pay for workers’ competitive markets in an environmentally sound compensation insurance. The premium savings for manner. an individual employer will vary based on the employer’s risk classification, claims experience For recent news releases and video of select and other factors. Not all employers will see a Commission proceedings or more information about decrease. the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.pa.gov. Follow the PUC on Twitter – @PA_PUC for all This is the fourth consecutive workers’ things utility. “Like” PAPowerSwitch on Facebook compensation insurance cut in as many years, and for easy access to information on electric shopping. brings the cumulative savings to $550 million for the past four years. Workers’ compensation Docket Nos. R-2014-2429610, C-2014-2434196, C- insurance covers the cost of medical care and 2014-2435583, R-2014-2429606, C-2014-2434192, rehabilitation for injured workers, lost wages and C-2014-2435636, R-2014-2429613, C-2014- death benefits for the dependents of those killed in 2434195, C-2014-2435601 work-related accidents. Source: PUC Press Release, 3/26/2015 “Reducing this cost helps businesses in our state be more competitive, and frees up money to spend on other priorities, such as hiring more workers,” Wolf Administration said Acting Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller. Announces Significant More than 10,530 state-certified workplace Workers’ Comp Insurance safety committees have been established since March 1994, protecting more than 1,396,306 Rate Cut While Maintaining workers. Additionally, employers with certified Benefit Levels for Injured workplace safety committees have saved close to $524.3 million in workers’ compensation Workers premiums. These savings in insurance costs are due solely to the five-percent premium discount n March 27, 2015, the Wolf Administration provided to businesses that have these committees. announced Pennsylvania businesses will see O a significant cut in workers’ compensation “We are proud of the role our Bureau of insurance rates while benefit levels for injured Workers’ Compensation Health & Safety division workers will be maintained. Workers’ comp plays in the keeping our workers safe,” Acting insurance rates will drop 5.99 percent, effective Labor & Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino said. April 1, reducing a key expense for many “It’s clear that employer safety programs produce companies and saving Pennsylvania businesses an tangible benefits and cost savings. Coupled with the estimated $140 million this year. reduction in premium rates, employers with safety committees get a win-win
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