The Catskill Chronicle

Amendment Limits Implementation and Enforcement of New Capacity Zone in Hudson Valley; Secures Report Language to Reform FERC Decision Making Process

NEW YORK STATE (July 11, 2014) – In an effort to fight the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) approval of a new capacity zone, the House of Representatives passed Representative Sean Patrick Maloney’s (NY-18) and Rep. Chris Gibson’s (NY-19) joint amendment to prohibit funds from enforcing the new capacity zone. Specifically, the amendment prohibits FERC from implementing, administering, or enforcing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision to create a new capacity zone under Docket No. ER13–1380–000.

“Stopping this new capacity zone has been a top priority –I’ve never seen an agency so unaccountable or encountered bureaucrats so callous to the damage they could inflict on hardworking families and businesses,” said Sean Patrick Maloney. “Congressman Gibson and local officials like County Executive Molinaro have been a tremendous partners in fighting this runaway bureaucracy, and we’ll continue working together to reverse this reckless decision.”  

“We will not relent in our efforts to prevent this agency from doing further damage to the families and the economy of the Hudson Valley, where people are already struggling to make ends meet because they are saddled with huge electric bills,” said Congressman Gibson. “We need to hold FERC accountable to the citizens it represents. Federal regulators can do a far better job finding ways to improve our energy infrastructure. We must reject the premise that the only way to lower electric rates is to raise them.”

You can view Rep. Maloney and Rep. Gibson’s remarks on the House Floor here.

In addition, Maloney and Gibson fought to secure specific language in the report that requires FERC to reexamine and reform the way that they conduct this type of decision-making to ensure that the Commissioners hear and consider the concerns of local ratepayers. The Report states: “The Committee urges the Commission to be more proactive in addressing the concerns of ratepayers. In particular, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission considers a request for approval of a new capacity zone, the Committee expects the views of local and state officials, regulators, and business leaders to be taken into account during the process. Further, the Committee also expects that the process will include considerations such as costs to ratepayers in addition to electrical reliability and availability.”

You can view Mr. Maloney’s colloquy with Chairman Mike Simpson and Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur on reforming FERC’s decision making here.