Category Archives: government

City’s DPU: Natural Gas Bills Will Drop 4 Percent

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According to the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities:

RICHMOND, VA—Beginning with the utility bill to be received in March 2011, city of Richmond Department of Public Utilities natural gas customers will see a six and a half percent decrease in the purchased gas cost (PGC). This amounts to an overall four percent decrease in their natural gas bill, Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced today.

“In recent months, the increase in natural gas production and low volatility in natural gas markets have translated to our ability to pass on lower prices to city of Richmond natural gas consumers,” Mayor Jones said.

Beginning with the first bill customers receive in March 2011, the PGC will decrease from $.695 to $.650 per Ccf (100 cubic feet of natural gas). As a result, the average residential customer who uses 70 Ccf per month will pay approximately $86.84 compared to a current price of $89.99.

The City of Richmond passes along the cost of the natural gas it purchases to its customers, dollar for dollar, without any markup. The PGC cost is one of three components of a customer’s natural gas bill. The other components are the customer charge and the distribution charge.

DPU analysts periodically review and adjust rates up or down based on market and weather conditions.

DPU offers information and programs year-round to help customers manage their utility bills and seek assistance before bills become unmanageable. DPU also encourages customers to consider enrolling in the Equal Monthly Payment Plan (EMPP) in order to avoid large seasonal fluctuations in their monthly bill. More information about EMPP and other programs is available by calling 644-3000 or visiting DPU’s Website at
http://www.richmondgov.com/dpu

General Assembly In Violation of Virginia Constitution?

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Despite the opposition and hard work of Oregon Hill’s state senator, Donald McEachin, the Virginia General Assembly Senate passed Senate Bill 1025. An identical bill (HB 2123) passed in the House of Delegates last month, and Governor Bob McDonnell is expected to sign the legislation into law.

These bills, if signed into law, would tie the hands of Virginia officials, restricting their ability to use the effluent testing and water quality monitoring necessary to protect Virginia’s waterways and communities from the severe impacts of surface mining. The law would also repeal the State Water Control Board’s authority over an important category of pollution discharge permits, eroding the authority of this board of citizen experts.

This violates Virginia’s Constitution. Section 1 of Article XI of the Virginia constitution is particularly relevant, and I quote it here (bolding added for emphasis):

To the end that the people have clean air, pure water, and the use and enjoyment for recreation of adequate public lands, waters, and other natural resources, it shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop, and utilize its natural resources, its public lands, and its historical sites and buildings. Further, it shall be the Commonwealth’s policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth.

“Clean water and clean air have been assaulted from day one of this General Assembly session. Whether it’s loopholes in the permitting process for coal mines, or extending coal subsidies in Virginia, this General Assembly has done all they can to create a safety net for the coal industry,” said J.R. Tolbert, assistant director of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. “If we didn’t know any better, you’d think Virginia had become a corporate welfare state.”

Where does the Tea Party stand on this one? Or do they only care about certain parts of the federal Constitution?

The Latest On Richmond Public Schools and ADA

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Dovi delivers on the Richmond Magazine site:

The Richmond Public School administration hasn’t renewed its contract with the construction management firm overseeing the school district’s efforts to bring its buildings into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by 2013. The district plans to ask the city administration to provide ADA-compliance oversight, and other consolidation of city and school services may be on the way.

P. Andy Hawkins, the district’s chief operating officer, says the district has informed McDonough Boylard and Peck that it will no longer provide oversight on ADA construction compliance, which was started after a 2006 out-of-court settlement agreement between the Richmond School Board and a group of parents and students.

Continue reading →

Regarding recent robberies…

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From press release:

STATEMENT BY
The Honorable Charles R. Samuels, Councilman, Richmond City Council, North Central 2nd District

Regarding recent robberies in the Fan District

(Richmond, Virginia U.S.A) – “I am very concerned about the recent robberies which are occurring in the Fan District. The Richmond Police Department will be increasing police foot, bicycle and motor vehicle patrols from Stuart Circle to the upper Fan and are working in tandem with the VCU Police Department in covering Stuart Circle going east to the lower Fan, Carver and Oregon Hill Neighborhoods. I join with Police in asking, inviting and encouraging all citizens to report any activity that is out of the ordinary.”

CONTACT
For more information, please contact Councilman Charles R. Samuels, Councilman, Richmond City Council, North Central 2nd District, at 804.646.6532 or 690.0898, or charles.samuels@richmondgov.com.

4th Precinct MPACC Meeting Thursday

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From MPACC (not to be confused with MPAC) announcement:

Please join your neighbors and community leaders for the 4th Precinct MPACC (Mayor’s Participation and Communication Corp) meeting at 6:30 PM on Thursday, January 27th at the 4th Precinct Police Headquarters, Community Room, 2219 Chamberlayne Ave. This monthly meeting is an opportunity to hear from City Leadership about plans to address citizen issues and to discuss with your neighbors pressing issues in your community. MPACC is designed to deliver results to high priority citizen requests and to highlight pressing issues of community members. These monthly meetings provide a chance for citizens to hear what requests have been handled and to dialogue with the City Leadership on neighborhood concerns.

Please consider joining the MPACC team for the 4th Precinct every 4th Thursday at 6:30 PM at the 4th Precinct Police Headquarters.

Charles W. Finley, Co-chair
Sector 413

Meanwhile In The General Assembly…McEachin Powers on

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Oregon Hill’s State Senator Donald McEachin is doing great work to push forward a clean energy agenda for Virginia in the current General Assembly session.

Sadly, his bill to limit offshore oil drilling (while promoting offshore wind), SB814, died in committee yesterday. This is particularly galling to those concerned about the undue influence of the fossil fuel corporations and their disasters.

Fortunately, there are other bills to root for. In particular, SB907, also sponsored by McEachin, which is now scheduled to come up (again) in the Senate Commerce and Labor committee next week. SB907 would direct the State Corporation Commission to order utilities to develop an appropriate pricing strategy to incentivize residential customers to reduce their consumption. Inclining block rates (IBR) is just such a strategy and is designed so that the more electricity consumers use, the more they pay, sending a price signal, especially to high-use residential customers, to reduce their consumption.

Does this sound familiar? It should, because it is similar to the municipal water reform that Oregon Hill residents have lobbied for in the recent past. Paying for what you use and rewarding conservation makes the sort of common sense that many citizens want to see on all levels of our government.

Street Closure – South 7th Street

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From City Press release:

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2011
For more information, contact:
Sharon North – (804) 646-5607

Street Closure – South 7th Street

WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works

WHAT: Street Closure

WHEN: Saturday, January 22, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

WHERE: South 7th Street between Bragg Street and Tredegar Street

BACKGROUND: The street will be closed during set up of a crane that will install a mechanical room structure at 501 W. 5th St.

Plastic Bag Debate

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Bag on Belvidere

RVANews is covering the General Assembly debate.

A few points that are still not getting through to the public are the extent to which plastic bag litter is negatively impacting our environment/wildlife, how much bags are interfering with farming harvests, how much oil can conserved by reducing plastic bag use, and how much money businesses could save by not offering bags.