18469_Authority_June

municipalauthorities.org | 57 Under the PUC’s Final Supplemental Implementation Order (FSIO): Valuation of Acquired Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems – Act 12 of 2016, for-profit companies are encouraged – but not required – to notify customers when seeking approval to acquire a system. While the FSIO is a helpful guideline, it is not binding and therefore lacks the consistency needed to ensure uniform customer notice across all acquisition proceedings. Given these gaps, we urge you to consider adding language to HB 322 that would explicitly require for-profit companies to notify customers regarding acquisitions under Title 66, Section 1329. This requirement would ensure that customers are fully informed and able to submit public comments both via mail and electronically, in accordance with the spirit of HB 322’s transparency goals. PMAA recommends incorporating this provision into the bill to align customer notification requirements for Section 1329 acquisitions with those already established for rate increases. This addition would guarantee that all Pennsylvanians have the same opportunity to participate in critical decisions that affect their community’s water and sewer services. We believe that this change would not only enhance public trust but also encourage constructive feedback on municipal authority takeovers, which have far-reaching implications for service quality, pricing, and community interests. It would reflect the core values of transparency and accountability that are essential to a fair regulatory process. On behalf of our members, we respectfully ask that you support HB 322 P.N. 278 as it moves toward greater transparency. Thank you for your consideration of this important issue. We look forward to working with you to ensure consumer protection and enhance public participation under Section 1329 of the Public Utility Code. We also extend our appreciation to Representative Ciresi for his leadership on this matter. ### About PMAA For more than 80 years, the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (PMAA) has been the primary voice of community-based services representing the interests of more than 2,600 municipal authorities across the Commonwealth. Services provided by the Association include advocacy on governmental affairs issues, education and training, and member benefit programs.