Utilities are a basic need for all, for health/hygiene, work, study/school, safety & well being

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Please submit written comments to the RI PUC by this Thursday, March 26!

George Wiley Center demands:

• No termination of utilities during the state of emergency and for the unemployed or low-income household anytime afterwards.
• Emergency utility (electric, gas, water and sewer) restoration for all unemployed or low-income households without any down payment.
• Immediate implementation of the Percentage Income Payment Plan (PIPP) for LIHEAP eligible consumers (no more than 2% of income for electric and no more of than a total of 4% of income for electric and heat or electric and gas).

We need your support to help protect the public health of our families, friends and neighbors during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued Order No. 23786 suspending service terminations and collection activities of all regulated electric, natural gas, water and sewer utilities during the COVID-19 Emergency. But the full length of the suspension is still up in the air. During these critical times, the public must ask for more.

To improve accessibility to utilities, the George Wiley Center encourages the RI PUC to put in place a permanent moratorium against utility terminations and emergency restoration without any down payment for all low-income and unemployed households.

We need your support. In this moment help us to step up pressure using social media and digital organizing. Please use your voice to advocate for economic justice for all, please take the following actions:

1) Submit Public Comments via email to Luly Massaro, RI PUC Clerk at: [email protected] and cc: [email protected]

Put these requests into your own words about why these demands are important:

• Permanent moratorium on shut offs for low-income and unemployed households
• Emergency Utility Restoration for all low-income and unemployed households without any down payment
• Immediate implementation of the Percentage Income Payment Plan (PIPP)

2) Share your comments on social media networks

• Twitter RIDPUC tag @georgewileycri
• Facebook RIDPUC tag @GeorgeWileyCenter
• Instagram tag @georgewileycenter

Use hashtags below along with your comments and/or create others:

RestorationNOW, #PIPPNOW. #EnergyJusticeRI, #ENDUtilityShutoffs2020, georgewileycenter, George Wiley Center, @georgewileycenter

3) Click here to donate today to support the GWC, on the front-lines of community advocacy for utility and food security for everyone in the community.

[FROM A PRESS RELEASE]