Aug. 23, 2005 – Delegate Donna M. Christensen will host a series of town meetings to allow residents to "talk to WAPA" about concerns with the Water and Power Authority. Meetings are scheduled for Aug. 30 at the Legislature Building on Cruz Bay, St. John and on Sept. 1 at the Curriculum Center at Kingshill on St. Croix. A similar meeting on St. Thomas will be held at a future date.
"Constituents have approached my office asking for the opportunity to interact with the utility on a variety of issues," Christensen said. "We hope that the conversation will go both ways as it is also an opportunity for WAPA to talk to the community on its vision for the future."
Christensen said the discussion will include customer service, operations and efficiency, increasing utility rates, small electric power providers, alternative energy resources, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that has just been signed into law by President George W. Bush.
According to a press release from her office, one highlight of the meetings will be the "roll out" of the final report on the Feasibility Study Regarding Altering the Utility Situation in the USVI.
The report was done under the auspices of the WAPA Buyout Committee, a group of WAPA employees and community leaders formed during attempts to sell the utility several years ago. The study was prepared at the invitation of the V.I. Legislature and the governor. It was funded with a congressional appropriation secured by Christensen through the Department of the Interior. Copies of the feasibility study can be obtained at the Delegate's offices or by logging onto her congressional Web site at "house.gov/christian-christensen").
Invited to participate in the meetings are Alberto Bruno-Vega, WAPA executive director; Daryl Lynch, WAPA board chairman; Alexander Moorhead, Hovensa vice-president; along with officials from the Public Services Commission, the WAPA Buyout Committee, and members of the 26th Legislature.
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