28817.ntc.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FROM
THE RESIDENTS OF MELBA, IDAHO
REQUESTING EXTENDED AREA SERVICE
INTO MARSING AND HOMEDALE, IDAHO
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CASE NO. GNR-T-00-4

NOTICE OF PETITION AND
DEADLINE FOR INTERVENTION

ORDER NO. 28817

On December 28, 1999, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission received a Petition from approximately ninety (90) residents of Melba, Idaho requesting toll-free extended area service (EAS) into Marsing and Homedale, Idaho.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Melba exchange is located in southeastern Canyon County and is served by Qwest Corporation. Melba can currently call the Qwest Treasure Valley EAS calling area at no charge. Marsing and Homedale are located in Owyhee County and are served by Citizens Communications.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the petitioners allege that one of the many reasons they are requesting toll-free EAS to Marsing and Homedale is that it is prohibitively expensive for Melba residents to dial outside their exchange area to contact businesses, churches, schools and relatives in both of these communities. Melba residents further report that their calls to the ditch rider who lives one mile away are long distance, as are calls to receive ambulance services. Petitioners indicate they are willing to pay an additional $10.00 a month for this requested EAS service.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that while EAS creates toll-free calling among exchanges, the costs associated with converting a former long-distance toll route to a toll-free EAS route must be recovered from all customers within those exchanges by increasing rates for local service.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that in Order No. 26311, the Commission adopted a set of standards or criteria to evaluate when EAS should be implemented. Those criteria are: call volume and call distribution (how many customers in an exchange call the other exchange); geographic proximity (distance between exchanges); the presence of geographic or other physical barriers (mountains, rivers, valleys) between exchanges; county seat relationship (are both exchanges in the same county); the relationship to school district (do both exchanges share the same school district); the proximity to medical facilities and services; and the willingness of customers to pay increased rates to cover the costs for converting those routes to toll free routes.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission balances these communityofinterest standards against the costs and rate impacts of providing EAS. When EAS costs are disproportionate to customer needs and benefits, the Commission has denied requests for EAS.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission initiates this case to evaluate the need for and the costs associated with EAS between Qwest’s Melba exchange and Citizens’ Marsing and Homedale exchanges.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Qwest Corporation and Citizens Communications are designated as parties to this proceeding. The Commission understands that the parties as well as the Staff may have already begun their investigations to determine the community-of-interest, costs, and feasibility of the EAS request.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter for the purpose of presenting evidence or cross-examining witnesses at a hearing must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission pursuant to this Commission’s Rules of Procedure 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072 and -.073. Persons intending to participate at any potential hearing must file a Petition to Intervene on or before September 14, 2001. Persons desiring to present their views without parties’ rights of participation and cross-examination are not required to intervene and may present their comments without prior notification to the Commission or the parties.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Commission may schedule a technical hearing in this case at a future time. The purpose of this hearing would be to take the technical evidence of the Companies and the Staff concerning the costs (including any projected rate increase to fund the requests), the community-of-interest, and feasibility of the requests.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petition in this case is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Commission offices. The Commission is located at:

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone] (TELEPHONE)
[phone] (FAX)

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to Title 61 of the Idaho Code.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this case be initiated to examine the merits of the EAS Petition from the residents of Melba, Idaho.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Qwest Corporation and Citizens Communications are parties to this case.
DATED at Boise, Idaho this day of August 2001.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

DENNIS S. HANSEN, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jean D. Jewell
Commission Secretary

O:GNRT004_ln

ORDER NO. 28817
NOTICE OF PETITION 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 14, 2001