By Kathy Aterno, National Managing Director and Florida Director - Follow our Florida Team on Twitter (@CleanWaterFL)
Did you know that in some states – including Florida – electric utilities are allowed to charge ratepayers for the costs of complying with environmental laws, even if the ratepayers were not the ones that caused the company to need to clean up its act?
Bad as that is, a few months ago, Clean Water Action and allies the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Earthjustice learned that one Florida utility, Florida Power and Light wanted to go a step farther. They actually asked the Florida Public Service Commission for permission to bill ratepayers almost a quarter-million dollars to go towards a national Dirty Water lobbying campaign.
FPL had the audacity to try making its own ratepayers pay even more on their electric bills so their electric company could join in a misguided national campaign led by many of the nation’s worst polluters. They want to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from completing work on a proposed Clean Water Rule that would restore longstanding protections for small streams, wetlands and drinking water sources. This is in a state where clean water is central to our economy and quality of life. Everyone here – including FPL ratepayers – needs clean water and values it highly.
Fortunately, Clean Water Action and allies caught this outrageous proposal before it could get very far. Our campaign to expose FPL’s dirty little plan received news coverage.
We just received the good news from the state’s Public Service Commission, in response to our well-timed intervention. The staff's answer to FPL’s Dirty Water request: a resounding “NO” recommendation.
Makes you wonder how many other electric utilities in how many other states may be trying to do the same thing, but maybe getting away with it!
This whole thing goes to show we can’t take clean water for granted. Let’s get to work. Take action for clean water now.
The FPSC will make a decision on the FPL handout on December 18th. They need to hear from ratepayers like you that you expect them to VOTE AGAINST giving FPL one more dime of your money to fight against protecting Florida’s water. Please e-mail today: contact@psc.state.fl.us
