April 11, 2002

Contact: Candace Ouillette Gaumond: 413.599.4785

CANDARAS BRINGS MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEES ON GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND ENERGY TO WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Springfield – State Representative Gale D. Candaras (D-Wilbraham) announced today that the Massachusetts House of Representative’s Legislative Committees on Government Regulations and Energy will be holding a public “Cracker Barrel” style, or round table, forum on April 12, 2002, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Western New England College School of Law’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs in Room B of the S. Prestley Blake Law Center. The Government Regulations and Energy Committees will have an open public discussion and listen to public opinion regarding electric restructuring during the April 12th public forum at Western New England College School of Law’s Institute. The event is open to the public.

With the passage of Chapter 164 of the Acts of 1997, the process of restructuring the electric industry in Massachusetts was begun. The restructuring initiative has created a competitive market of electricity suppliers with the hopes of reducing prices and providing customers with the ability to choose their own retail electricity supplier. Last year, Speaker Finneran and the House Chairs of the Committees on Energy and Government Regulations began conducting public forums across the state. These forums are intended to elicit feedback from providers or customers regarding the impact of electric restructuring on the electric market before finalizing an action plan that would guarantee the seamless transition of electric restructuring in Massachusetts once the seven year standard offer period comes to an end. On April 12th, the Committees will be discussing and gathering public opinion on this issue from residents of western Massachusetts.

“Today, as a result of the Electric Restructuring Act of 1997, the Commonwealth’s electric ratepayers have saved over $1.7 billion, the state’s generation capacity is higher than ever, and programs, such as those to promote energy efficiency and those that provide rate relief to low income consumers, have proven very successful. But, although our restructuring effort has achieved a great measure of success, we must remain vigilant to ensure that we continue to build upon that success and remain a model for the rest of the nation. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels for much work remains to ensure a seamless transition upon the completion of standard offer service. Competition among suppliers is not quite at the level that we would like to see it and although our generation capacity has increased we have to address transmission issues to ensure that we are able to reliably and efficiently deliver power to consumers. To this end, we have arranged a series of forums on the status of restructuring and the complicated issues that lay ahead. The forum to be held in Springfield will provide an opportunity for government, private industry and the general public to combine their resources and ingenuity in an effort to ensure the successful completion of electric restructuring in the Commonwealth,” said Chairman Daniel E. Bosley (D-North Adams) of the House Committee on Government Regulations.

State Representative Gale D. Candaras (D-Wilbraham), who is a member of the Committee on Government Regulations was instrumental in coordinating the event at the Western New England College School of Law’s Institute. “I am pleased that the Committees on Government Regulations and Energy will be holding a hearing at the Law School on April 12th,”said Candaras. “The effects of electric restructuring have impacted every citizen in the Commonwealth. This upcoming hearing will be an opportunity for all western Massachusetts residents to express their opinions on the electric industry’s new approach. The Commonwealth is a model for electric restructuring for our entire nation and this is an opportunity for western Massachusetts to help fine tune the model. All stakeholders are welcome. I wish to thank Chairs, Representative Daniel E. Bosley (D-North Adams) and Representative John J. Binienda (D-Worcester) for bringing the Committee here. As Speaker of the House Thomas M. Finneran has noted, the Legislature needs to be visible in all parts of the Commonwealth,” Candaras concluded.

Western New England College School of Law’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs was established in the spring of 2000. Its purpose was to provide opportunities to its students to participate in activities relating to the legislative process. One of the Institute’s goals was to bring live action policy making to Western Massachusetts by hosting Legislative Committee hearings.

“One of the goals of the Legislative Institute is to bring committees of the General Court here to Western Massachusetts,” stated Professor Art Wolf, Director of the School of Law’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs. “Holding legislative hearings in Springfield gives our students and other residents of the four counties in Western Massachusetts the opportunity to observe the workings of our Legislature and to participate as witnesses in the hearings. The presence of the Committees also gives area voters and residents, together with our students, the chance to meet and speak with members of the Legislature,” Director Wolf observed.

For further information regarding the Legislative Committees on Government Regulations and Energy’s public “Cracker Barrel” hearing at Western New England College School of Law’s Institute of Legislative and Governmental Affairs please contact the office of State Representative Gale D. Candaras and speak with Candace Ouillette Gaumond, Chief of Staff. The telephone number is (413) 599-4785.