THE NEW JERSEY ADVOCATE

1 THE NEW JERSEYTHE NEW JERSEYADVOCATEADVOCATEQ uarterly PublicationA Publication of the Division of the Ratepayer AdvocateSummer 2005 Message from the DirectorBring the Ratepayer ADVOCATE to Your CommunityOne of the most gratifying activitiesas New JERSEY 's Ratepayer ADVOCATE isthe opportunity to meet directly withratepayers while conducting consumereducation presentations throughout theState of New JERSEY . Hearing your concerns about stateenergy, telecommunications and waterservices and answering your questionskeeps me focused on our mission at theRatepayer ADVOCATE --to representratepayers' requests for and right toreceive quality and safe services at the most reasonable most requested presentations, "Understanding YourUtility Bill" and "Conserve Energy and Save Money" covermany ratepayer concerns.

2 These topics are most popular asconsumers look for ways to savemoney as energy costs continueto rise. Consumers tell me thatafter they follow some of thesimple suggestions we makeduring our presentations, theybecome more careful when theyreview their bills, understandtheir usage and, after making afew simple changes in theirhomes, start using less energy. One of the most frequentquestions I hear from senior citizens is what to do when theycannot afford to pay their utility bills. Our presentation, "Applyfor Financial Assistance to Pay for Your Utility Bills," has helpedmany seniors receive funding and qualify for programs thathelp them conserve energy and receive state rebates onenergy-smart appliances.

3 Wherever I go, consumers tell me they are pleased to learnthat they have options and rights as utility customers, and thatMessage from the Acting GovernorSafeguarding NewJersey s Water SupplyThe old saying that "you don'tmiss the water until the well runs dry"has unfortunately become a truth inNew JERSEY in recent years. Whilemost of us don't think about it on adaily basis, having a good watersupply becomes a vital considerationwhen there is a water shortage thatcauses restrictions in our dailyroutines like watering our gardens,washing cars or just letting thefaucet run to get a cool plan for our state's water future, my Administration istaking steps to safeguard our drinking water.

4 In June, Iauthorized the elevation of key water resources in the state tothe highest level quality of water protection. This protectionwas given to the Shark RiverBrook watershed andtributaries that serve as awater supply for manyMonmouth County critical waterresources such as Shark RiverBrook is especially importantin rapidly developing areaslike Monmouth River supplies water toGlendola Reservoir, adrinking water source previously designated as a CategoryOne (C1) waterbody in April 2003. This designation (C1)targets almost 22 miles of waterbodies and tributaries locatedin the Shark River Brook watershed on the basis of theirexceptional water supply significance.

5 The C1 designation, the highest form of water qualityprotection afforded by the state, intends to prevent anymeasurable deterioration in existing water quality and limitsINSIDE THE ADVOCATEOn the Ratepayer ADVOCATE Radar ..3 Conservation Tips ..4 Consumer Advice ..5 Ratepayer ADVOCATE in the s Happening in Trenton ..7cont. on page 7cont. on page 4 Seema M. SinghRatepayer AdvocateRichard J. CodeyActing Governor2 THE RATEPAYER ADVOCATE EDUCATES CONSUMERSCONTACT US TO SCHEDULE A PRESENTATION IN YOUR AREA(973) EDITORS eema M. Singh, COORDINATORJose SelayaCONTRIBUTORSGita BajajDonna CarneyMichelle GilesKimberly K.

6 Holmes, Robayo, RobertsBernard SmallsCONTACT Division of the Ratepayer Advocate31 Clinton Street, 11th Box 46005 Newark, NJ 07101 Tel. (973) 648-2690 Fax (973) 624-1047; : ADVOCATE ON THE ROADRATEPAYER ADVOCATE ON THE ROADJJULYULY6, 20056, 2005--Ms. Singh presented a consumer education program onenergy conservation at the Harrison Senior Citizen Center. JJULYULY15, 200515, 2005--Ms. Singh gave a presentation on energy conservation tothe Morris County Council of Older Persons Organizations at the MorrisCounty Office of Human Services in Morris , 200519, 2005--The Ratepayer ADVOCATE gave a consumer educationpresentation on energy conservation at the Hunterdon County Division of SeniorServices in , 200522, 2005--Ms.

7 Singh will give presentations on Understanding Your UtilityBill and Conserve Energy and Save Money atthe Bergen County Activities Center in North , 200526, 2005--Ms. Singh will give a presentation on How toReduce Your UtilityBill at the Plainsboro Municipal Court in , 20055, 2005--The Ratepayer ADVOCATE will give an energyconservation presentation at the Franklin Lakes Public TheLatestRATEPAYER ADVOCATE NEWSD elivered Via E-mail!If you want to receive the latest energy,water or telecommunications news via e-mail, subscribe to the RPA mailing list. Visit follow the instructions.

8 Soon you'llhave access to RPA news as it happens! The RPA respects the confidentiality of alle-mail received and will not provide youraddress to others without your consent. Ratepayer ADVOCATE Seema M. Singh will come to a location of your choice and speak about consumer issues including:Conservation Tips, Understanding Your Utility Bill, Financial Assistance Programs, Clean Energy Programs, Cable TVRegulation, Voice Over Internet Protocol and Water Conservation. Speakers can be scheduled during day and evening hours. The seminars, complete with power point presentations, can be tailoredto meet your audience's specific needs.

9 We also provide educational materials for distribution. (See back page for more details.)Residents of Harrison review the Ratepayer ADVOCATE s Consumer Conservation Handbook during a presentation on energy conservation at the Harrison Senior Citizen Center on July ADVOCATE Seema Singh participated in a ceremony on July 21marking the 100,000th grant made by NJ SHARES. The organization helpshardworking people, otherwiseineligible for low-income federaland state support who, despite theirindustry and extreme efforts, cannotafford to pay their ever increasingenergy bills. This excellent achievement, aswonderful as it is, underscores thecontinuing critical need in our statefor financial assistance to helpworking families pay their utility bills, Singh commented in her speach.

10 As Ratepayer ADVOCATE , Singhhears about these needs fromconsumers throughout the statealmost daily. The most vulnerablemembers of our society, seniorsand others on fixed incomes, hardworking families, persons with health problemsand single parents are having the most difficulties paying their energy bills. Although as a society we are statistically wealthy and comfortable, we cannotforget that many of the state's residents are still struggling to pay their bills foressential services. New JERSEY families should not have to choose between heator eat , said these reasons, the Ratepayer ADVOCATE consistently supports NJ SHARES,LIHEAP and other state and federal programs that help address these SHARES President Ron Reisman, Elizabethtown Gas Northwest NJ RegionManager Don Carter, BPU Chief of Staff Lance Miller, Ratepayer ADVOCATE SeemaSingh, and PSE&G VP of Customer Operations Cecil House discuss the benefits ofthe NJ SHARES of Regional Bell OperatingCompanies (RBOCs)