[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING PATRICK HYLAND ON HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS EXECUTIVE 
           DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHEAST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 2, 2011

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Patrick 
Hyland, who, for more than 22 years, has served with distinction as 
executive director of the Northeast Public Power Association.
  Under Pat Hyland's leadership, the Northeast Public Power Association 
has been the leading voice for 79 consumer-owned utilities that provide 
energy to more than two million citizens in the six New England states 
of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode 
Island.
  Over the years, Pat Hyland has worked closely with Members of the New 
England delegation, from both sides of the aisle, to advance the 
interest of NEPPA consumers in New England. Under the leadership of 
their local elected energy boards, NEPPA utilities are responsible for 
providing reliable electric services at affordable prices throughout 
the region.
  Pat Hyland is well known throughout the New England Congressional 
delegation for his integrity and forthrightness. He has played a 
pivotal role in advocating on behalf of NEPPA utilities that deliver 
vital electricity, and in some cases water services, on a non-profit, 
publicly-accountable basis to consumers in small and large communities 
throughout New England.
  To highlight just two of his successes, Pat has effectively 
spearheaded legislative efforts to increase awareness of impacts to 
consumers in New England--who are also our constituents--of wholesale 
and retail competition, including the creation of Regional Transmission 
Organizations (RTOs), and energy capacity markets and the 
implementation of key transmission rate policies.
  Throughout his career, Pat Hyland has been actively involved in 
federal energy policy. He was a key resource to me during the debate 
over the amendment that I successfully offered to provide for open 
transmission access when Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act of 
1992; he was a voice of caution regarding the need to ensure 
appropriate consumer and investor protections in the event of a repeal 
of the Public Utility Holding Company Act in the Energy Policy Act of 
2005; and he was a leader in the effort to obtain comparable renewable 
incentives for the customers of consumer-owned utilities.
  He has also taken the lead to increase consumer awareness about the 
impact of wholesale and retail competition and operations of Regional 
Transmission Organizations.
  My personal and professional respect and admiration for Pat runs 
deep, and I wish him happiness and good health in his retirement. The 
wise counsel, calm determination, and good Irish sense-of-humor, which 
he has provided to me and others in Congress for many years on behalf 
of NEPPA, will be sorely missed.
  I am told that one of the highlights of Pat's life was to meet the 
legendary Celtics basketball player Bob Cousey. I understand that, 
because over the last 20 years Pat Hyland has been New England's public 
power ``point guard'': taking control of the game, mastering it with 
wizardry and elegance, and dazzling fans.
  And so I wish today, Mr. Speaker to say to Pat, thank you for your 
service. We will miss you and we wish you well.

                          ____________________