26458.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT PROPOSAL  TO IMPLEMENT EXTENDED AREA SERVICE (EAS) REGIONS IN U S WEST COMMUNICA­TIONS’ SOUTHERN IDAHO SERVICE AREA.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO.USW-S-96-4
NOTICE OF HEARING
NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL
          SCHEDULE
ORDER NO.  26458
On May 6, 1996, the Commission issued a Notice of Prehearing Conference concerning  the Stipulation and Settlement entered into between U S WEST Communications and the Commission Staff.  Briefly, the Stipulation and Settlement proposed that: (1) the Revenue Sharing Plan for southern Idaho be terminated; (2) the Commission authorize the creation of four extended area service (EAS) calling regions; and (3) the 1995 and 1996 revenue sharing funds be used to defray the cost of implementing the local calling regions.  The Notice established a deadline for intervention in this case for May 17, 1996, and scheduled a prehearing conference for May 21, 1996.  Following the prehearing conference, the Commission issues this scheduling Order.
THE PARTIES
Prior to the deadline for intervention, the Commission received two Intervention Petitions and subsequently granted intervention to the Idaho Telephone Association, Century Telephone of Idaho, Potlatch Telephone Company, and Troy Telephone Company.  See Order Nos. 26441 and 26442.  In addition, the Commission received timely Petitions to Intervene from AT&T Communications of the Mountain States, Blackfoot Chamber of Commerce, Citizens Telecommunications Company of Idaho, GTE Northwest, Idaho Cable Telecommunications Association, MCI Telecommunications Corporation, Northwest Payphone Association, and Phoenix Fiberlink of Idaho.  In addition, the Commission also received an untimely Petition to Intervene from Idaho Consumer Affairs.  At the prehearing conference, Access Long-Distance also petitioned to intervene in this matter.
Without objection at the hearing, the Commission granted intervention to all intervenors.  Accordingly, the parties listed above are granted intervention in this matter.(footnote: 1)  The Commission Secretary shall prepare a separate Notice of Parties and serve it upon all parties to this proceeding.
NOTICE OF HEARING SCHEDULE
The primary purpose of the prehearing conference was to discuss the scheduling of this proceeding.  Prior to the prehearing conference, the Staff and U S WEST had prefiled direct testimony in support of the Settlement and Stipulation.  Following an informal discussion, among the hearing participants, they proposed a schedule generally following the dates set out below.(footnote: 2)
June 14, 1996
July 8, 1996
August 5, 1996
August 26, 1996
September 4-6, 1996
Deadline for discovery requests
Deadline for filing answers to discovery
Deadline for filing prefiled testimony by
intervenors
Deadline for rebuttal testimony from U S WEST and Staff
Technical hearing in Boise
The parties did not propose dates for local hearings but left the scheduling of such hearings to the Commission’s discretion.
Based upon the agreement of the parties, we find it is reasonable and appropriate to adopt the amended schedule set out above.  Parties to this proceeding are required to adhere to the deadlines encompassed in the schedule.
NOTICE OF HEARING
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Commission shall convene five public hearings in this matter.  A public hearing will be convened in  each of the four proposed EAS regions.  The primary purpose of the four local hearings is to obtain testimony from members of the public.  The fifth hearing shall be an evidentiary/technical hearing to receive the testimony of the parties.  The Commission will issue a NOTICE OF HEARING SETTING FORTH THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE LOCAL HEARINGS at a later time.
The evidentiary hearing in this matter is scheduled to convene at 9:30 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1996 IN THE COMMISSION’S HEARING ROOM LOCATED AT 472 W. WASHINGTON STREET, BOISE, IDAHO 83720 [phone].  The hearing shall be continued on SEPTEMBER 5 AND 6, 1996 IN THE COMMISSION’S HEARING ROOM, as necessary.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the prepared testimony and exhibits of the parties must be served upon the Commission and all other parties of record in accordance with the schedules set out above.  The prepared testimony and exhibits must conform to the requirements of Rules 266 - 267 of the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.266-267.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all hearings in this matter will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other assistance of the kind that the Commission is obligated to provide under the Americans with Disabilities Act in order to participate in or to understand the testimony and argument at a public hearing may ask the Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing.  The request for assistance must be received at least five (5) working days before the hearing by contacting the Commission Secretary at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO  83720-0074
[phone]  (TELEPHONE)
[phone]  (TEXT TELEPHONE)
[phone]  (FAX)
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to the provisions of Title 61 and Title 62 of the Idaho Code and specifically Idaho Code §§ 61-622A, -503, and -513.  
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. 
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties identified in the body of this Order are granted intervention in this matter.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties adhere to the schedule outlined in the body of this Order.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this                  day of June 1996.

RALPH NELSON, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

DENNIS S. HANSEN, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
vld/O:USW-S-96-4.dh
FOOTNOTES
1:
All the parties granted intervention were in attendance at the prehearing conference except the Blackfoot Chamber of Commerce, GTE, the Cable Association, and the Payphone Association.
2:
The parties had proposed a deadline for discovery of June 10, a deadline for discovery answers of July 1, a deadline for intervenor testimony of August 1, and a rebuttal deadline of August 22.  Given the passage of time, an extension of these dates was appropriate.
COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS
Text Box 1:
TEXT BOXES
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
June 7, 1996