How to Get Involved
Take Action
OPC can’t lower your utility rates and win the fight for clean, affordable energy on its own. We need you to raise your voice and take action. OPC believes consumers must have a seat at the table on issues affecting their households. Here’s how to take your seat!
Let Your Voice Be Heard
Make your voice heard at the agencies which regulate the utilities. One way to do that is to offer comments to regulators at a public hearing. You also can write letters and call your elected officials.
Why Should You Comment?
The Office of the People’s Counsel represents the interests of District ratepayers before the DC Public Service Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DC Water Board, other utility regulatory bodies, and the courts. We need the regulatory bodies to hear your perspective. Consumers can help OPC emphasize why affordable utility service is essential for a healthy and safe home. It’s important to support policies that aim to reduce the burden of utility costs for all, especially for low-income and senior consumers. To have the greatest impact when making your comments, consumers should focus on your own experience and understanding the impact of increased rates on you and the city.
OPC staff can provide technical assistance that may be useful to you in drafting your comments. OPC also can provide a speaker to discuss an issue of interest to your community group.
Please fill out our Speaker Request Form found here.
Submitting Your Comments:
Comments may be submitted to the regulatory agencies via these links:
- Pepco, Washington Gas, and Verizon Landline Services: our Utilities Help section provides the most current information on these.
- DC Public Service Commission: https://edocket.dcpsc.org/public/public_comments
- DC Water: DCWater.com | Water is Life
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: https://ferc.gov/how-file-comment
- Federal Communications Commission: https://www.fcc.gov/proceedings-actions
- DC Office of Cable Television: Cable TV Regulations | entertainment (dc.gov)
Contact Your Elected Officials
The first step for taking action is knowing who represents you. Elected officials want to hear from their constituents to learn how they feel about an issue. When a public official is inundated with requests from constituents to support or oppose an issue, it can make a difference.
- Visit the Executive Office of the Mayor: Executive Office of the Mayor (dc.gov)
- Find your Councilmember: https://dccouncil.us/councilmembers/
- Find your Advisory Neighborhood Commission: Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
- Find legislative meetings, hearings, and event dates:
