Greetings, Long Lakers. This is step one of a multi-step effort to put a stop to the electric power outages that have been plaguing our and neighboring towns with increasing frequency since July 1st. With the support of Supervisor Seaman and the town board, we are initiating a mass mailing to register complaints with the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Governor and, for those who have experienced material losses as a consequence of the outages, the NYS Attorney General’s (AG) office.
 
WHAT TO DO:
 
Step 1: Send the attached letters to the PSC, the Governor, and if you have had material losses, the AG’s office. Begin by filling in the blank spaces — date, name, address, etc., and signature; place in envelope with pertinent address, affix stamp and mail. Keep a copy of letter if you can and feel free to add comments on the reverse side, noting at the bottom of the printed page that the reader should turn (over).
 
Step 2: For all future outages – and there will be for the time being – keep a log, noting date and time electric and/or ‘phone/celloutagebegins and ends, plus any adverse consequences that you suffer. Then, make a complaint: contact the NYS Public Service Commissionat 1-800-342-3377 or online at www.dps.ny.gov. You might have to wait until power is restored – which is why you’ll be keeping the log – but do so once it has. We have to compile a history to support our complaints. Again, if you suffer material losses, contact the NYSAttorney Generalat 1-800-771-7755 or online at ag.ny.gov, and then put your complaint in writing, using complaint form downloaded online.
 
Step 3: To be determined. This is going to be a long-term struggle before this problem is  satisfactorily resolved. Since the National Grid is also a part of the problem – the four Lakes, Long, Blue Mountain, Indian and Raquette + Newcomb are at the eastern tail end of the Grid in the North Country – we will have to reach out to Congresswoman Stefanik and the U.S. Department of Energy. In the end, the problem we are confronting is one of a fragile and isolated infrastructure.
 
In sum, future community-wide meetings will have to be called so we can exchange ideas and information and decide on future courses of action. In the interim, please free to contact us regarding this mass-mailing community action – what worked, what didn’t; what could have been done differently. Your feedback is very welcome. Thank you for taking part in this initiative.
 
On behalf of all Long Lake residents and with the support of Supervisor Clark & the Town Board,
 
Jack Carney                                         Frank Pine
Jacarney4214@gmail.com               fwpine@gmail.com
Date: ________________
 
Office of Consumer Services
NYS Department of Public Service
3 Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12223
 
To Whom it May Concern:
 
I am writing to register a complaint against the NY State Electric and Gas Company (NYSEG) regarding its failure to prevent or quickly repair recent and ongoing power outages in Long Lake.  Specifically. I am referring to outages that occurred on the following dates:
            DATE                            DURATION                                            COMMENTS
            7/1/2018                      7 hours                                                                                    
            7/25/2018                    4 hours
            11/9-11/2018               4 hours                                                 No Frontier phone service
                                                                                                            No AT&T cell service
                                                                                                           
            11/23/2018                  6 hours                                                 No Frontier phone service
                                                                                                            No AT&T cell service
                                                                                                            Temperature was -17 degrees
            11/25/2018                  3 hours total – 3 separate times
            11/28-29/2018              4 hours                                                 Also a series of damaging
                                                                                                            on/off surges.
 
These outages have become routine and actually began many months before those listed above. I have not been able to obtain any specific information related to the cause(s) of these continuing outages, although NYSEG’s backup generator located in Newcomb, NY, is implicated. It consistently fails to turn on when outages in NYSEG’s main line occur. The latter have caused significant concern for residents’ personal health and safety, particularly for our elderly and physically impaired residents. These regularly occurring outages have also adversely impacted our towns’ businesses, resulting in a significant loss of income, particularly on Friday the 23rdof November, better known as “Black Friday”, when heavy sales customarily fill the gap occasioned by winter-reduced commercial activity. 
 
I am requesting your office investigate this issue as it affects all of us in this region of the North Country.  Most notably, NYSEG’s continuing inability to satisfactorily address and resolve this long-term problem is undermining all the efforts by us, our neighbors and the State to re-build the economy of the North Country. We are beginning to feel ignored and abandoned. These outages must stop and we are relying on you to secure a solution with NYSEG. With my neighbors, I am also notifying Governor Cuomo as well as my local, State  and national representatives. Thank you for your prompt action in this matter.
 

Sincerely,

Signature: ________________________________

Name: ___________________________________ Street Address: ______________________________

E-mail address: ____________________________ or ‘Phone: __________________________________
Date: __________________
 
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
 
Dear Governor Cuomo:
 
I am writing regarding the recent and ongoing power outages in Long Lake. Specifically. I am referring to outages that occurred on the following dates:
            DATE                            DURATION                                            COMMENTS
            7/1/2018                      7 hours                                                                                    
            7/25/2018                    4 hours
            11/9-11/2018               4 hours                                                 No Frontier phone service
                                                                                                            No AT&T cell service
                                                                                                           
            11/23/2018                  6 hours                                                 No Frontier phone service
                                                                                                            No AT&T cell service
                                                                                                            Temperature was -17 degrees
            11/25/2018                  3 hours total – 3 separate times
            11/28-29/2018              4 hours                                                 Also a series of damaging
                                                                                                            on/off surges.
 
These outages have become routine and actually began many months before those listed above. I have not been able to obtain any specific information related to the cause(s), although NYSEG’s backup generator located in Newcomb, NY, is implicated. It consistently fails to turn on when outages in NYSEG’s main line occur. The latter have caused significant concern for residents’ personal health and safety, particularly for our elderly and physically impaired residents. These outages have also adversely impacted our town’s businesses, resulting in a significant loss of income, particularly on Friday the 23rdof November, better known as “Black Friday”.
 
I am requesting that your office, in conjunction with the State’s Public Service Commission, investigate this issue since it affects all of us here in the North Country, and devise a solution.  Most notably, NYSEG’s continuing inability to satisfactorily address and resolve this long-term problem is undermining all the efforts by us, our neighbors and the State to re-build the economy of the North Country. We are beginning to feel ignored and abandoned. These outages must stop and we are relying on you, our local legislators and the Commission to secure a solution with NYSEG. Please note that my Long Lake neighbors and I have registered  complaints with the Public Service Commission.
Thank you for your prompt action in this matter.
 

Sincerely,

Signature: __________________________ 

Name: ___________________________________ Street Address: _____________________________

E-mail address: ________________________________ or ‘Phone: ______________________________

 
Date: ________________
 
NYS Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol
ALBANY OFFICE
The Capitol Albany, NY
12224-0341
 
To Whom it May Concern:
 
I am writing to register a claim for damages against the NY State Electric and Gas Company (NYSEG) suffered during a series of power outages detailed immediately below:
            DATE                         DURATION                                       COMMENTS
            7/1/2018                      7 hours                                                                                   
            7/25/2018                    4 hours
            11/9-11/2018              4 hours                                                No Frontier phone service
                                                                                                            No AT&T cell service
                                                                                                           
            11/23/2018                  6 hours                                                No Frontier phone service
                                                                                                            No AT&T cell service
                                                                                                            Temperature was -17 degrees
            11/25/2018                  3 hours total – 3 separate times
            11/28-29/2018           4 hours                                                Also a series of damaging
                                                                                                            on/off surges.
 
These outages have become routine and actually began many months before those listed above. The specific damages/material losses I incurred, along with their estimated dollar amounts, include:
          DATE(S)                      ITEM(S)/LOSSES                              ESTIMATED VALUE
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
(Additional losses, if any, listed on reverse side.)
 
I trust your office will promptly and thoroughly investigate them as well as the many other claims from Long Lake residents that have preceded or are sure to follow mine. These outages must stop and we believe your office can play a key role in this effort. With my neighbors, I am also notifying Governor Cuomo as well as my local, State  and national representatives. Please advise what steps I now need to take to pursue my claim(s).
Thank you for your prompt action in this matter.
 

Sincerely,

Signature: ________________________________

Name:__________________________________  Street Address: ________________________

E-mail address: _________________________ or ‘Phone: ______________________________

Additional losses:
 
DATE(S)                                              ITEM(S)/LOSSES                  ESTIMATED      VALUE
   _____________       _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________
   _____________      _______________________________________    ___________________