PULP Commemorates Forty Years Of Advocating, Educating and Litigating on Behalf of New York’s Vulnerable Low-Income Utility Consumers

Albany, NY – Today, the Public Utility Law Project of New York (“PULP”) observed the 40th anniversary of its incorporation in October 1981. Originally founded in the wake of the late- 1970’s oil crisis to avert soaring utility rate increases, PULP has zealously championed the interests of low- and fixed-income utility consumers and other vulnerable New Yorkers for four decades.

“As we celebrate our 40th year, PULP’s mission has never been more crucial due to the pandemic’s devastating economic impact on low-, fixed- and newly-low-income individuals and families across the State,” said Richard Berkley, Executive Director of PULP. “Despite those considerable challenges and a small staff, PULP’s consumer outreach and direct service activities, in addition to intervention in rate case and policy proceedings, have only grown; we remain strongly committed to New York’s broad mosaic of utility consumers.”

Before it was incorporated as a separate nonprofit organization, PULP was instrumental in the development and enactment of the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (“HEFPA”), better known as New York’s energy consumers’ bill of rights. Considered the gold standard at the time of its enactment and still providing nation-leading protections today, HEFPA enshrines residential electric and gas customers (and telephone and large water utility customers) with comprehensive protections in areas such as application for service, customer billing, and payment and complaint procedures. The original legislation, which was sponsored by Senator Dale Volker and Assemblymember Oliver Koppel and signed into law by Governor Hugh Carey, also celebrates its 40th anniversary of becoming law today.

PULP works closely with elected officials and their staff at all levels of government, with public authorities and state and local agencies, other civil and legal service providers, and community- based organizations, regarding utility companies’ actions and their impact on low- and fixed- income residents. Additionally, PULP educates its partners through “Know Your Rights Training” and continuing legal education courses that enhance knowledge around current policies and protections that empower new advocates to respond to utility company consumer crises.

“Today, I congratulate the Public Utility Law Project on forty years of protecting and empowering New York’s utility consumers,” said Senator Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn). Dealing with a public utility is a very daunting task for New York’s low-income and fixed-income households even when there are no problems, but especially so when times are hard like they are now in Year Two of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers have a uniquely strong advocate behind them in PULP, which is New York’s only independent organization focused on utility consumer protection.”

“I commend the Public Utility Law Project on their forty years of dedicated service to low- and fixed-income consumers. Ratepayers need a strong advocate for their financial interests at the bargaining table with powerful utility corporations and PULP is one of the strongest organizations doing just that. Their steadfast advocacy for affordability and accessibility helps keep utility rates in check for working families in every corner of the State,” said Assemblymember Kevin A. Cahill (D-Ulster, Dutchess).

“The Public Utility Law Project has spent 40 years standing up for New York utility customers,” said AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel. “With so many of our residents still struggling with the pandemic’s fallout, PULP’s advocacy is more important than ever. We thank PULP for its four decades of fighting to keep utilities affordable and reliable for every New Yorker.”

“As we have since the 1980s, PULP stands proudly with our partners as we fight for universal access, affordability and improved consumer protection for vulnerable New Yorkers,” Berkley continued. “The COVID-19 pandemic’s economic and public health crisis of 2020 and 2021 has been one of PULP’s greatest tests, but thanks to our incredible colleagues in the State Legislature, other government entities, and those within the civil legal services community, millions of New Yorkers were protected from dangerous and unnecessary utility shutoffs. We will undoubtedly emerge stronger for these shared experiences, no diminished.”

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The Public Utility Law Project of New York, Inc. (“PULP”) is a nonprofit public interest law firm with the mission of educating, advocating, and litigating on behalf of low- and fixed-income utility consumers in matters affecting affordability, universal service, and consumer protection. Learn more at www.utilityproject.org, or follow us on social media @utilityproject. Learn about your utility rights during this pandemic at bit.ly/pulp-covid-19.