* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
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Informational Hearing - Lessons Learned from the June Derecho
FOR the purpose of calling upon representatives of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) to meet in public discussion with the City Council, and our constituents, to respond to observations and requests arising from the recent derecho storm and its aftermath; and to begin a cooperative effort to help us all minimize widespread outages in the future and to better communicate accurate and timely information to the public during crisis situations.
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Recitals
WHEREAS, on the night of June 29-30, beginning after 10pm on the 29th, Maryland and Baltimore City were struck by a derecho storm, an extreme weather event featuring violent sustained lightening storms and damaging winds of nearly 70 mph.
WHEREAS, unlike a hurricane or tropical storm of similar strength, the derecho struck a broad swath of the U.S. with very little advanced warning.
WHEREAS, nationwide, more than 4 million utility customers lost power as a result of the derecho.
WHEREAS, in Maryland, BGE reported that the storm downed more than 9200 wires, cutting off power to 762,000 customers.
WHEREAS, in Baltimore, more than 350 downed trees and other damage led to in excess of 90,000 BGE customers losing power.
WHEREAS, customers were without power, during a heat wave with sustained temperatures over 100 degrees, for 38 hours on average, and tens of thousands of Baltimore homes were without power for days, with BGE not announcing that it had restored power to all customers until July 8, more than a full week after the storm.
WHEREAS, the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) has offered the public opportunities to file complaints and concerns for review and action.
WHEREAS, the Baltimore City Council urges all BGE customers and neighborhood leaders to either testify or send written reports to the PSC with their complaints and their recommendations for more effective and timely BGE responses when even unexpected storms result in future widespread outages.
WHEREAS, for all its concerns, the City Council especially appreciates BGE's assignment of two able and committed liaisons, Linda Foy and Ervin McDaniel, to the City's Emergency Operations Center for the duration of the eight day power outage.
WHEREAS, many constituents have also expressed appreciation for the courtesy and competence of local and out of state crews dispatched to solve their neighborhoods' power outages.
WHEREAS, to prevent extended outages in the future, the Council calls upon BGE to report to its membership and our constituents on plans for better preparedness on future such occasions, especially in:
• affording the city comparable outage restoration rates, from the outset, to other subdivisions within BGE's service area;
• improving phone and website staffing and communications with the public about estimated times of restoration;
• improving communications to ground crews as to accurate outage locations and equipment required to effect restoration so as to minimize the dispatch of crews unequipped to make the restorations required, to the frustration of crews and the added wait for consumers;
• employing sufficient ground personnel so that small clusters of outages are no longer relegated to "last in line" status extending into as many as 8 days on this last occasion.
WHEREAS, the June 29, 2012, derecho and its aftermath have demonstrated the need for BGE to identify and upgrade certain city power networks which either chronically fail, even between major storms, or which require more frequent and thorough pruning of obstructing trees and branches.
WHEREAS, to this preventive end, the Council calls upon BGE to undertake a series of public meetings, as requested, with power network constituents and their neighborhood associations, to expedite the correction of weak points affecting reliable power to their homes and neighborhoods.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council calls upon representatives of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) to meet in public discussion with the Council, and our constituents, to respond to these observations and requests; and to begin a cooperative effort to help us all minimize widespread outages in the future and to better communicate accurate and timely information to the public during crisis situations.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the President and CEO of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, the Director of the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management, BGE's liaisons to the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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