The New Orleans City Council utilities committee today decided not to vote on a resolution that would fine Entergy $5 million for astrotrufing public hearings during the approval process for a new power plant, directs that the money be used to help the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board, and requires Entergy to commit to continually reviewing new technologies that can help the plant operate more efficiently.
"I am going to recommend to this committee that we do not take action today, but move it to the full council to allow for additional public comment and to ensure that it is not on the consent agenda so we continue to have this discussion," said committee chairwoman Helena Moreno.
The next city council meeting is Thursday, February 21.
The decision not to vote followed more then three hours of a raucous public comment session, in which many people demanded that the council rescind the 6-1 vote that approved the plant last spring.
The resolution comes after Entergy revealed in May 2018 that a third-party contractor paid people to attend meetings and pretend to be grass roots supporters of the plant. Entergy at the time said it had no knowledge of the practice, known as astroturfing, and severed ties with the companies involved.
Then in October, the council's investigation into the scandal said Entergy's leaders either knew or should have known what was happening. The investigation uncovered text messages from then-Entergy New Orleans President Charles Rice that he would fund the astroturfing effort.
The revelations led to demands that the council cancel its approval of the plant and start over. But members of the utilities committee say despite the astroturfing, the need for a new plant remains and the plant as approved is the best solution, despite concerns residents have about environmental and health concerns.
