Waterside Chat: New Regulatory Frameworks for Rate Stability

. Regulatory agencies around the country are considering new ways to secure water supplies for long-term economic growth. The state of Wisconsin, while situated adjacent to Lake Michigan - one of the largest fresh water sources in the world - finds itself experiencing increasing levels of water stress due to a strong reliance on ground water sources in large areas of the state. To help public utilities better manage both natural resource and financial constraints, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission has integrated water conservation and efficiency considerations into its analysis of applications for rate increases and construction authorization requests. This framework for state and local cooperation to ensure both sustainable utility financial operations and long-term water supplies may prove to be a model that other states around the country consider adopting for greater resiliency. Join this fascinating new WaterSide Chat featuring Wisconsin state regulators and other regional water industry experts to discuss the genesis of this regulatory framework, results to date, and what the future holds for a new approach to growth and sustainability. Presenters: Dr. Lynn Broaddus founded Broadview Collaborative, Inc. in 2014 to bring a systems approach to the complexities at the intersection of water, energy, food, soil, buildings, and transportation, all in a context of resource sustainability, community resiliency, and social equity. As President, she oversees all aspects of the firm, with special focus on strategic directions and partnerships. She also serves as a nonresident fellow with the Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institution. Prior to establishing Broadview, she led the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread’s environment program, served as executive director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and served for 12 years at The Nature Conservancy. She earned her Ph.D. in Botany and Genetics from Duke University, a M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia. Denise Schmidt serves as Water Policy Advisor for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. In this role, she is responsible for planning, evaluating, and implementing the Commission's water regulatory programs and oversees all aspects of its conservation and efficiency initiative, including its water loss control program. Denise has worked as a state regulator, regional and local planner, and private consultant with over twenty years of experience working on utility financial management, water resource planning, land use planning, and policy analysis in Wisconsin, Connecticut, and the Southeast. She was recently elected to the Board of Trustees of the Wisconsin Section of the American Water Works Association where she also serves as Vice Chair of the Efficiency Committee and is a member of the Research Committee. In addition, she serves as Vice Chair of the Alliance for Water Efficiency’s Education and Outreach Committee. Denise holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Health Science from Purdue University.