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I was recently appointed to Richmond's Public Utilities and Services Commission to help advocate for sensible policies that protect Richmond residents and keeps Richmond DPU accountable.
In service of good government and transparency, you can view my personal running notes for meetings here. I will update these every meeting. The next meeting is expected to happen in late August, and this is when I hope we'll really be able to start diving in.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n7Owv1XkO1zDndJOt7ai5tyAb0DnmScjv2bMnarFnog/edit?usp=sharing
I am more than happy to help you find answers to your burning questions about Richmond's utilities.
I intend to be open an honest about my goals as a commissioner on the PUSC.
First, I want to help Richmond move beyond the natural gas distribution business. This is codified in law as a goal of the commission.
Second, I intend to advocate for policies that keep the costs of utilities reasonable and fair. Individuals should not be unfairly subsidizing one rate class over another, and DPU should not be implementing projects that raise customer rates without extensive justification.
Third, I want to see more information in the public domain so it's easily accessible by interested residents. You should not have to pay several thousand dollars to acquire this information via FOIA.
Last, and I admittedly know less about this than gas, but I want to see Richmond's combined sewer overflow system maintained such that we're no longer a scourge on the James River.
@kevincianfarini important, thank you
@kevincianfarini Did the city give the commission teeth to hold DPU accountable? I chair the Eco-Socialism working group for the Richmond chapter of DSA and had been trying to get in touch with someone at Beyond Methane about working together regarding the methane leaks around the city but didn't hear back. We still would be interested in helping with that issue
@rudiev I'm one of the leads with Beyond Methane RVA, so if anyone dropped the ball it's likely me. Sorry about that, I've been really focused on elections work.
The commission only advises Richmond's City Council, so it does not have the executive authority to regulate like Virginia's State Corporation Commission would. However, this is a notable improvement for two reasons.
First, DPU previously reported to Richmond City Council for things like rate cases and bond approvals. This was problematic because City Council does not have the expertise nor the resources to properly regulate a utility without guidance. Now, the commission will likely weigh in on matters like rate cases and new bond issuance with recommendations to City Council.
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@rudiev Second, one of the big issues we faced within Beyond Methane was transparency. We have been charged literally thousands of dollars for FOIA requests from DPU, and I almost had to take Richmond City to court for failing to fulfill one of my FOIA requests. This commission has the ability to request information from DPU without incurring costs and then can enter that information into the public domain where appropriate. That's one of my goals as a commissioner.
If you'd like to get in touch about Beyond Methane RVA, it's probably best to hit my DMs 
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