[StBernard] Atmos Gas in the Oil Spill Area

[Westley Annis]

I feel like I am chasing windmills. The  Atmos service man called today to
say that I cannot have gas turned on because DEQ is not allowing Atmos to
work north of Judge Perez in the oil spill area. He didn't know anymore than
that, and he asked me to call him if I could find out more.

I called DEQ and spoke to two different people, neither of whom knows why
DEQ would issue such an order, but they promised to check within DEQ to find
out what, if any, stoppage has been mandated by DEQ, why, when it would be
lifted, if there is one, and who is in charge of this order, if there is
one.  One DEQ person said maybe it was EPA. Now on Sunday I met with Ms.
Hoey of EPA who said without a doubt, that EPA has not told any utility
company to not work in the oil spill area.

Katrina has taught me that miscommunication and outright rumors are often
the source of all this confusion. So I will keep trying to trace this issue
until I have a name of person in DEQ and in ATMOS who are truly in charge
and try to get answers from them. Hey, I'll buy them a cup of coffee if I
could get them to meet face to face!

As I am telling Atmos and DEQ, homeowners on my street are way ahead of the
rebuilding curve. We are at the point of needing to decide whether to switch
our houses to all electric if gas service is not being restored by May,
which will cause Atmos to lose a lot of customers forever.

Deborah Keller