(Middletown, NY)-State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/C/I-Mt. Hope) announced today that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday April 25th at Monticello Fire Department, located at 23 Richardson Ave. There will be an afternoon hearing at 2pm and an evening hearing at 6pm.  The hearing is one in a series of public hearings the PSC is holding regarding the March 2018 winter storms and resulting power outages. The hearings are open to members of the public who wish to participate and comment.

“Sullivan County experienced crippling power outages resulting from back-to-back snow storms in March and the response by the utility companies was inadequate,” said Senator Bonacic. “I would encourage everyone who was impacted by the utility companies to make their voices heard.”

If you are unable to attend the hearing, there are other ways to comment on the matter. Individuals can:

• Visit the Department Website: Comments may be entered directly  via the www.dps.ny.gov website, by entering the matter number (18-00618) in the search option found on the homepage. After opening the cases, access the screen to enter comments by clicking on the “Post Comments” tab located at the top of the page.
• Write to the Secretary: Submit comments electronically to Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary by email at secretary@dps.ny.gov or mail to Secretary Burgess at the New York State Department of Public Service, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350. Comments delivered in these manner should reference “Matter 18-00618” and/or the “March 2018 Winter Storms Investigation.
• Call the Toll-free Opinion Line: Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the toll-free Opinion-Line at 1-800-335-2120. This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24 hours a day. Callers should press “1” to leave comments about “March 2018 Winter Storms (Matter 18-00618).

Comments submitted by these alternative means are requested by Tuesday May 22, 2018. For additional information about the upcoming hearings, please visit www.dps.ny.gov.