ATTORNEY GENERAL GANSLER ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF PEOPLE’S COUNSEL

Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today the appointment of Assistant Attorney General Paula M. Carmody as People’s Counsel. Ms. Carmody served as an Assistant People’s Counsel at the Office of People’s Counsel for almost fifteen years before joining the Consumer Protection Division of the Maryland Attorney General in 2004.

As Assistant People’s Counsel, Ms. Carmody represented the interests of residential consumers of utility services in state and federal regulatory agency proceedings. During her 15 years at the Office of People’s Counsel, Carmody regularly appeared before the Maryland Public Service Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Ms. Carmody represented the Office in utility mergers and bankruptcy proceedings, electric and gas industry restructuring proceedings, and other administrative proceedings. She worked extensively on legislative matters, including the Electric Restructuring Act, the Natural Gas Supplier Licensing and Consumer Protection Act of 2000, and energy efficiency, renewable energy and low-income legislation.

Ms. Carmody has particular expertise in issues relating to regulations and policies necessary to protect consumers in a deregulated energy market. She has appeared as a speaker, a panelist and an instructor at a variety of conferences, forums and community meetings regarding the utility and energy industries. In addition, she developed consumer education materials for consumers and service providers, and worked with government agencies and nonprofit organizations on matters affecting low and moderate income consumers. Ms.Carmody has more than 25 years of litigation and legal experience.

“Appointing Paula Carmody as People’s Counsel makes perfect sense. I am confident she will be a diligent and relentless advocate for the residential consumers of Maryland. Paula also has a keen understanding of the interplay between regulating the utility industry and protecting our air and water. Her dedication, her knowledge of the issues confronting the People’s Counsel and her extensive prior experience make her uniquely qualified and the ideal selection for this position,” Attorney General Gansler said.

Paula Carmody’s appointment is effective January 17, 2007.