[StBernard] Atmos Gas in the Oil Spill Area

[Westley Annis]

MAYBEE YOU SHOULD BE STILL WAITING TO SEE IF YOU ARE GREEN SPACE....GJS



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>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

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