Declarations

New Team

“For many New Yorkers, it’s been the worst 17 months of their lives.”

—New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on challenges faced by New Yorkers who are still recovering from Superstorm Sandy. The mayor on March 29 named a new Sandy-recovery team to speed up recovery efforts and fund the rebuilding of homes. The mayor said he is “thoroughly dissatisfied” with what happened in the last months before his administration came into office on Jan. 1.

Gas Blast

“This type of event raises the public’s awareness that we’re dealing with a combustible commodity.”

—Teri Viswanath, a natural gas market strategist at BNP Paribas in New York, said an unexplained blast at a liquefied natural gas facility in rural Washington state, which injured workers and forced an evacuation, focuses attention on the risk of storing massive gas supplies near population centers.

Preventing Double Dips

“Governor Walker signed this law to ensure transparency in the lawsuit process and stop trial lawyers from double dipping.”

—Laurel Patrick, spokeswoman for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. He signed a bill into law requiring plaintiffs who have suffered from asbestos exposure to reveal how many businesses their attorneys plan to sue. They also would have to go after money from an asbestos trust before suing for more.

Against Lower Deductible

“Lowering the maximum deductible for named storm coverage will not do anything to make insurance premiums more affordable or to entice more insurers to do business in Louisiana.”

—Paul Martin, Louisiana state affairs director for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. NAMIC opposes a proposal in the Louisiana to reduce the maximum insurance deductible on named storms and require winds in excess of 125 miles per hour before the deductible could be applied.

No Telling

“I don’t tell security how to do their job.”

—Pop singer Justin Bieber, in a deposition for a lawsuit brought by celebrity photographer Jeffrey Binion against Bieber and a bodyguard. The lawsuit claims the bodyguard assaulted Binion outside a recording studio.