Updated Telephone Lifeline and Shared Meter Chapters Added to PULP's Online Manual

PULP's purposes include education of the public about the legal rights of utility consumers and to establish a resource center on the legal rights of consumers. For many years, PULP published a desk reference manual for legal assistance lawyers and other advocates which covered in detail common legal issues faced by utility customers, and particularly low income telephone and energy utility customers. Due to sharp funding cuts and resource limitations beginning in 1995 the manual is no longer published in hard copy.

PULP is gradually updating chapters of the manual and posting them online at the PULP website Help Center, with partial support received from the New York State Bar Foundation. We are pleased to announce the posting of the updated Shared Meter chapter to the well as an updated chapter on Lifeline discount telephone service.

In addition, the online PULP Law Manual includes an analysis of

• the Home Energy Fair Practices Act,
  
• telephone consumer protections,
  
• public assistance programs for utility and energy consumers,
• rights of heating fuel customers,
  
• the New York State Truth in Heating Law, and
  
• the Home Energy Assistance Program.

Additional chapters on topics such as New York State Public Service Commission complaint procedures, rights of water consumers, rights of submetered tenants, and an update on the Home Energy Assistance Program chapter will be posted in coming months.

Lou Manuta