News

September 14, 2021

Jared C. Brossett

Councilmember Brossett Urges President Biden to Provide Federal Assistance to Strengthen New Orleans Power Grid and Relieve Ratepayers of Recovery Costs

Councilmember Brossett Urges President Biden to Provide Federal Assistance to Strengthen New Orleans Power Grid and Relieve Ratepayers of Recovery Costs

In response to the catastrophic failure of the power grid in New Orleans, Councilmember Brossett is asking for federal funds to prevent another blackout in the face of stronger, more frequent hurricanes.
NEW ORLEANS - District "D" Councilmember Jared C. Brossett sent a letter to President Biden urging him to make a critical investment in New Orleans' energy infrastructure.

The letter asks President Biden and Congress to send federal funding to allow New Orleans to create a more resilient power grid. Additionally, Councilmember Brossett asks President Biden to urge Congress to expand the Stafford Act or create a Community Development Block Grant to relieve ratepayers of billions of dollars in estimated recovery costs from the storms that hit in 2020, in addition to the damage caused by Hurricane Ida. 

“Because these storms are becoming more common and more devastating, New Orleans needs to make a critical investment in its energy infrastructure," said Councilmember Brossett."But I believe it would be an absolute moral failing to ask ratepayers to carry the burden of strengthening our power grid. We are fighting to get back to where we were before the storm, but Hurricane Ida revealed significant vulnerabilities to our power grid. I appreciate the time President Biden and his Administration have taken to ensure we can fully recover, and I believe a federally funded update to our power grid is a necessary step on that path.” 

Councilmember Brossett is dedicated to ensuring a similar outcome to Hurricane Ida is never repeated. Updating the power grid and alleviating ratepayers, who were without power for days or even weeks after the storm, is critical. 
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Media Contact:
Domonique Dickerson
Chief of Staff
Councilmember Jared C. Brossett, Chair, Budget/ Audit/Board of Review 
Chair, Emergency Preparedness and Cybersecurity
504-295-4589
Dcdickerson@nola.gov

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