HomeMy Public PortalAboutExhibit RM 102 Prehearing Conference Position Statement of Robert Mueller 092811MSD 2011 Wastewater Rate Change Proceeding
Prehearing Conference -September 28, 2011
Position Statement of Robert Mueller for Prehearing Conference
After careful review of the various matters presented and discussed
before the Rate Commission at Technical Conferences, Public
Hearings and other relevant testimony, I am pleased to submit the
following observations and suggestions to the Rate Commission
for your consideration:
1. The whole matter of the EPA Litigation over the past four
years in the US District Court and the subsequent Consent Decree
which is currently under consideration places a heavy penalty and
financial burden on all rate payers within the boundaries of the
MSD Service Area.
My assessment of the results of the Public Hearings that I have
attended is that the general public is unaware, for the most part, of
what is about to befall them. They find it difficult to understand
the technical details of the 1972 Clean Water Act and the EPA's
interpretation and enforcement actions regarding that law.
Therefore, the burden of protecting the general public has fallen on
you, the fifteen Members of the Rate Commission. You are not
paid, it has become an extremely time consuming task, you are
generally unknown for what do in this matter and likely to remain
so. There will be no glory or honor attached to your efforts. In the
end, there may even be criticism of your final decisions.
Nevertheless, the consideration and deliberations of the testimony
and facts presented to you over the past months call for a decision.
I pray that your minds are sharp and your reasoning processes are
keen enough to enable you to arrive at a fair and equitable decision
regarding the proposed rate increase. Hopefully, the Board of
Trustees will recognize the gravity of this matter and give your
recommendations the serious consideration they deserve. The
people who live and work in both the City and County of St. Louis
are fortunate to have been given the opportunity of your service.
On their behalf, I thank you one and all.
2. I have read the position statements of other Intervenors which
have been submitted to you today and hereby wish to give notice
that I support both their findings of fact and recommendations
regarding the matter of the proposed MSD rate increase. There is
no need for me to repeat what they have so eloquently set forth.
Therefore, this concludes my Position Statement for this Pre -
Hearing Conference.
Submitted By
Robert Mueller
Intervenor