Washington State Legislators Need to Hear From You

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I'm forwarding this on as it seems it may have interest by some of us, in that allowing public input helps insure that energy-related that affect and impact watersheds and fisheries may be fairly evaluated by those who may have concerns.  If it affects all, it should be evaluated by all.         Feb. 18, 2002  Action Alert – House Hearing on SSB 5292 - Stop Energy Northwest’s (WPPSS’s) Efforts to Repeal Major Voting Provisions of Initiative 394 –the Don’t Bankrupt Washington Initiative!   Breaking news -A critical hearing is coming up in the Washington State Legislature this Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002 in Olympia in Hearing Room B in the John L.O. Brien Building at 1:30 P.M.   SSB 5292 to "modify the definition of a major public energy project" has passed the Senate and has been sent to the House Technology, Telecommunications and Energy Committee.   Energy Northwest (The new name for WPPSS) and the public utilities are working hard to gut Initiative 394 passed in 1981 by the voters in response to the WPPSS disaster. SHB 1221 is now in House Rules and eliminates the vote requirement on major non-nuclear projects and the requirement that the utilities do an independent cost effectiveness study before issuing bonds. While Senator Fraser has added back the requirement for an independent cost effectiveness study for non-nuclear projects in SSB 5292, it still would eliminate the requirement for voter approval before bonds can be issued for all non-nuclear major public energy projects. Once taken away, we will not get voter approval of bonds back. Ratepayers would lose this critical safeguard that ensures we will not be indebted without our approval. It is critical that people make an effort to attend this hearing and voice your concerns.   If you can not attend, send an e-mail to the committee chair Re p.  Morris and the committee vice chair Rep. Ruderman.  Do a cc (copy) to Speaker Frank Chopp and your own two Representatives. Tell them you oppose SSB 5292 and SHB 1221.  Tell them that you want to keep the right to vote on all major public energy projects including non-nuclear ones because ratepayers are the ones who pay in the end. Tell them that having utilities like Energy Nortwest do both cost effectiveness studies and getting voter approval before bonds are issued is what voters said they wanted when they passed Initiative 394 in 1981!  We do not need to repeat the mistakes of the past and give a blank check back to the public utilities like WPPSS had.  Ratepayers want accountability. A vote on all major public energy projects puts the cost of a project up front and the cost effectiveness study compares what else could be done to meet energy needs for the same amount of money.   The House Technology, Telecommunications, & Energy Chair is Rep. Frank Morris His e-mail is  [EMAIL PROTECTED] . The  Vice Chair of the committee is Rep. Laura Ruderman.  Her e-mail is [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Speaker Frank Chopp’s  e-mail is [EMAIL PROTECTED] The e-mail addresses for your own two Representatives can be found at the website www.leg.wa.gov.    Thanks for your help.  I have previously sent or handed out background material on Initiative 394 and the current efforts to repeal it.  If you need a copy and want more information on this issue e-mail me at [EMAIL PROTECTED]                                                  Thanks for your help!                                                               Steve Zemke   Please forward this e-mail to others who might help!   Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com