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CUC legal services transition to OAG
Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham and assistant attorney general Tiberius D. Mocanu are now replacing attorney Deborah E. Fisher as counsel for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. in stipulated orders entered by CUC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Buckingham, Mocanu, Fisher, and acting CUC executive director Alan W. Fletcher signed the notice, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the NMI.
They said that pursuant to Executive Order 2012-07, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has assumed all executive powers of CUC, including that of the board of directors and executive director.
They said Fitial has notified CUC of his decision to transition CUC’s legal services to the Office of the Attorney General.
Accordingly, they said, CUC designates Buckingham and Mocanu as the attorney for CUC.
In June 2012, Fitial extended his declaration of a state of emergency for CUC.
Fitial cited as reasons for the emergency extension CUC’s continuing cash shortage, which threatens to halt power, water, and wastewater services because of the lack of funds to buy diesel and lube oil for its operation, among others.
The CUC-EPA stipulated orders are intended to reform CUC’s wastewater systems, drinking water systems, power plants and pipeline operations-and importantly, CUC’s organizational structure-in order to move CUC to become a viable functioning utility.
One goal of the stipulated orders is to establish CUC as a self-sustaining utility through generating revenue as a result of its power, drinking water, and wastewater operations.
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
