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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20131030Protective Agreement.pdfPROTECTIYE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPANY, STAFtr" & INTERVENORS CASE NO.IPC-E.13-I5 This Protective Agreement is entered as of the 28tr day of October 2013 by Idatro Power Company ("Idaho Power"), the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Staff (*Staff), and the undersigned lntervenors in Case No. IPC-E-13-15 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Parties" or individually as a "Party'') in connection with Idaho Power's 2013 Integrated Resource Plan ("IRP"). RECITALS: l. WHEREAS, Idaho Power desires to make available to the Parties certain information respecting Idaho Power's 2013 IRP. 2. WHEREAS, the Parties desire to receive such information. 3. WHEREAS, Idaho Power and the Parties anticipate that Idaho Power may provide, or make available for review, certain information considered by ldaho Power to be of a trade secret, privileged, or confidential nature (as defined in Idatro Code $ 9-340, et seq., and $ 48-801, et seq.). 4. WIIf,'.REAS, Idaho Power and the Parties agree that entering into a Protective Agreeme,lrt will expedite the production of documents; will afford the necessary protection to Idaho Power's and the Parties' employees and/or representatives in this proceeding who might review the information and subsequently be requested to reveal its contents by setting forth clear cut parameters for use of Confidential Information, and will protect Confidential Information which might be provided hereafter. IT IS IIEREBY STIPULATED AI\[D AGREED AS FOLLOWS: . 1. (a) Confidential Information. All documents, data, information, studies, and other materials furnished that are claimed to be of trade secret, proprietary, or confidential nahre (herein referred to as "Confidential Information") shall be so marked by Idaho Power by stamping the same with a designation indicating its trade secret, proprietary, or confidential nature and printed on yellow paper. Any claim of confidentiality must be accompanied by an attomey's certificate that the material is protected by law from public disclosure and cite the specific legal authority to support PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPA}.IY, STAFF, & INTERVENORS - T the claim. IDAPA 31.01.01.067 and 31.01.01.233. Access to and review of Confidential Information shall be shictly conholled by the terms of this Agreement. (b) Use of Confidential Information. All persons who may be entitled to review or who are afforded access to any Confidential lnformation by reason of this Agreemort shall neither use nor disclose the Confidential Information for purposes of business or competition or any purpose other than the purpose of preparation for and conduct of Case No. IPC-E-13-15 and then solely as contemplated herein and shall keep the Confidential Information secure as trade secret, confidential, or proprietary inforrnation and in accordance with the purposes and intent of this Agreemcnt. (c) Persons Entitled to Review. Individual access to Confidential Information shall be limited to connsel of the undersigned Parties, employees, experts, agents, or representatives of the undersigned Parties who have executed an Exhibit A to this Agreement. Such information will be clearly marked and protected from unauthorized public disclosure. (d) Nondisclosure Aereement. Confidential Information shall not be disclosed to any pennn who has not signed a nondisclosure agreement on this form, which is attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein. The nondisclosure agreement or Exhibit A shall require the person to whom disclosure is to be made to read a copy of this Protective Agreement and to certify in writing that he or she has reviewed the same and has consented to be bound by its terms. The Agreement shall contain the signatory's fuIlname, permanent address, and employer. (e) Challenee to Comoanv Denial of Access. Any disputes arising as a rezult of Idaho Power's denial of access to Confidential Information shall be resolved by the ldaho Public Utilities Commission ("Commission"). 2. (a) 9opies. No copies or transcriptions of the Confidential Information shall be made by the Parties except as necessary to make the information available to individuals who have executed an Exhibit A to this Protective Agreement. PROTECTM AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPAI.IY, STAFF, & ITITERVENORS - 2 (b) Return of Confidential Information. Upon request of ldaho Power, all original documents and copies of the Confidential Information shall be (1) retumed to Idaho Power or (2) shredded by the holder of such documents. Unless otherwise ordered, Confidential Information, including transcripts of depositions containing information to which a claim of confidentiality is made, shall remain under seal, shall continue to be subject to the protective requirements of this Agreement, and shall likewise, be retumed to counsel for Idaho Power within thirty (30) days after final settlement or conclusion of the proceedings before the Commission which Confidential Information is relevant, including administative or judicial review thereof. After return of documents pursuant to this paragraph, and upon request, a written receipt veriffing refurn shall be provided by counsel. (c) Return of Notes. Any notes maintained by a recipient of Confidential Information which embody or reflect any of the Confidential lnformation provided under this Agreernent shall, upon request of Idaho Power, be either returned to Idaho Power or, at the option of the recipient, destroyed. 3. Non-waiver of Obiection to Admissibilitv. The furnishing of any document, information, data, study, or other materials pursuant to this Protective Agreernent shall in no way limit or waive the right of the providing Party to object to its relevance or admissibility in any proceedings before this Commission. 4. Challense to Confidentialitv. (a) Initial Challenee. This Protective Agreernent establishes a procedure for the expeditious handling of jnformation ldatro Power claims is confidential. ln any proceeding before the Commission, a Party may challenge the characterization of any information, document, data, or study claimed by Idaho Power to be a trade secret, proprietary, or confidential information. If seeking to challenge the confidentiality of any information, the Pady shall first contact counsel for Idaho Power and attempt to resolve any difference by stipulation. Resolution may include removing the confidential classifications, creating a non-confidential sunmary, reformatting the information, etc. PROTEC-TIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPANY, STAFF, & INTERVENORS - 3 (b) Subseouent Challense. ln the event that the Parties cannot agree as to the character of the information challenged the Parties may challenge the confidentiality of the information by petitioning in any proceeding in which the information is relevant the Commission to rule upon the disputed information. The petition shall be se,nred upon the Commission and all parties to the proceeding who have signed on Exhibit A as provided in this Protective Agreernent. The petition shall designate with specificity the document or material challenged and state the grounds upon which the subject material are deemed to be non-confidential by the Party. (c) Challense Hearine. The Parties shall request that the Commission conduct an in camera proceeding where only those persons duly authorizedto have access to such challenged materials under this Protective Agreement shall be present. This hearing shall be commenced no earlier than five (5) business days after serving the petition on Idaho Power and the Commission. The record of the in camera hearing shall be marked "CONFIDENTIAL - Subject to Protective AgreemeuL" To the extent necessary, the transcript of such hearing shall be separately bound, segregated, sealed, and wittrheld from public inspection by any person not bound by the terms of this Agreement. (d) Determination. The Phrties will ask the Commission to issue an Order determining whether any challenged information or material is not properly deemed to be exernpt from public disclosrue pursuant to the Idaho Fublic Records Act. (Idatro Code $ 9-335, et seq.) If information is found to be not exernpt from disclosure, the Parties shall not disclose such challenged material or use it in the public record, or otherwise outside the proceedings for at least five (5) business days unless Idatro Power consents to zuch conduct. This procedure enables the providing Party to seek a stay or other relief from the Commission's Order removing the restrictions of this Agreernent from material claimed to be confidential. Such relief may be sought from the Commission or a court of competent jurisdiction. 5. (a) Receipt Into Evidence. Provision is hereby made for receipt into evidence in this proceeding of materials claimed to be confidential in the following manner: PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPANY, STAFF, & INTERVENORS .4 (l) If a Party intends to use Confidential Information or to make substantive reference to Confidential Information supplied to it under this Agreement, it shall give reasonable prior notice of such intention to Idaho Power and shall provide copies of the used Confidential Information or substantive reference to Confidential Information only to the providing Party, and such other Parties, if any, who have executed an Exhibit A to this Protective Agreernent. (2) One (l) copy of the used Confidential Information or substantive reference to Confidential Information described in paragraph 5(a)(1) shall be placed in the sealed record. (3) Only one (1) copy of the documents designated to be placed in a sealed record shall be made. (4) The copy of the documents to be placed in the sealed record shall be tendEred to the Commission and shall be maintained in accordance with the terms of this Protective Agreement. (b) Seal. While in the custody of the Commission, materials containing Confidential Information shall be marked "CONFIDENTIAL SUBJECT TO ATTORNEY'S CERTIFICATE OF CONTIDENTIALITY" and shall not be examined by any person except under the conditions set forth in this Agreement, if applicable. (c) ft Carzezr Hearins and Transcrints. Any Confidential Information that must be orally disclosed at a hearing in the proceedings shall be offered at arl in ca.tnera hearing, attended only by persons authorized to have access to the information under this Protective Agreement. Similarly, any transcription of any examination or other reference to Confidential Information (or that portion of the record containing Confidential Information) shall be marked and treated as provided herein for Confidential Information. See IDAPA 3 1 .0 1 .01 .287. (d) Access to Record. Access to sealed testimony, records, and information shall be limited to the Commission and persons who have signed an Exhibit A as provided in this Protective Agreernent, unless such information is released from the restrictions of this Agreanent either PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPANY, STAFF, & INTERVENORS - 5 through agreement of the parties or after notice to the parties and hearing, pursuant to the order of the Commission and/or the final order of a court having final jurisdiction. (e) Aooeal Should an appeal from the proceeding be taken, sealed portions of the record may be fonvarded to any court of competent jurisdiction for purposes of an appeal, but under seal as designated herein for the information and use of the court. If a portion of the record is forwarded to a court under seal for the purposes of an appeal, the providing Pa$y shall be notified which portion ofthe sealed record has been designated by the appealing party as necessary to the record on appeal. 6. Destruction or Return. Unless otherwise ordered, Confidential Information provided pr:rsuant to a discovery request and this Agreement, including transcripts of any discovery depositions to which a claim of confidentiality is made, shall remain under seal, shall continue to be zubject to the protective requirernents of this Agreeme,nt, and shall be destroyed or shall be re(urned to counsel for the providing Party within thirty (30) days after final settlement or conclusion of this matter, including administrative or judicial review thereof. 7. Use in Pleadinqs. Where references to Confidential Information in the sealed record or with the custodian is required in pleadings, briefs, arguments, or motions (except as provided in paragraph 5), it shall be by citation to title or exhibit number or some other description that will not disclose the substantive Confidential Information contained therein. Any use of or substantive references to Confidential lnformation shall be placed in a separate section of the pleading or brief and submitted to the Commission pursuant to paragraph 5. This sealed section shall be served only on counsel of record who have signed the non-disclosure agreernents set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Protective Agreement and may, in turn, be disclosed by thern only to individuals who likewise signed Exhibit A. 8. Summarv of Record. If deemed necessary by the Commission, Idaho Power shall prepare a written summary of the Confidential Information referred to in Orders to be iszued to the public and the parties. PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPA}TY, STAFF, & TNTERVENORS - 6 9. Counterparts. This Agreernent may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instnrment. 10. This Protective Agreement shall become effective on the date first above written. DATED this 28s day of October 2013. IDAHO POWER COMPAI\TY By: Attorney Re,presenting Idaho Power Company IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STAFF Lisa D. Nordstrom Idatro Power Company 1221 West Idatro Street Boise,Idaho 83702 ,r, 4h 4 lL Kar[ T. Klein Deputy Attorney General Idaho Public Utilities Commission 47 2 W est Washington Street Boise,Idaho 83702 Attomey Representing Idaho Public Utilities Commission Staff PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPANY, STAFF, & INTERVENORS . 7 DArED *r'lfrof october 2013. IDAEO CONSERVATION LEAGIIE Attorney Representing Idaho Conservatiou Lcague PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWBENIDAHO POWERCOMPAIYY, STAFF, & INTERVENORS . E DATED tnit - S I of octob€r 2013. SNAKE RIVERALLIA}ICE svt )1. at+,*nl/- KenMiller Clean Energy Program Direc'tor Representing Snake RiverAlliance PROTECTIIr'E AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAIIO POWER COMPAI{Y, STAFF, & INTERVENORS - 9 DArED *r&rootobtr2ol3. J.R. SIMPLOT COMPANY Attmncy Reprcsenting J.R. Simplot Conrpmy PRCITBCrll/E AGRBEMBNTBSTWEENIDAHO POWER. @MPAIiIY, STAFF, & INTERVEI{ORS. IO E)ilIIBIT A I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreemrent dated October 28,2013, in Case No. IPC-E-13-15 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreerrent. L-,- ilr)c)It^*tr Sr,d* ft. L,--ur- CL(-l''c*ct*c o* Employeror.Firm -> c* IY,f *-lr) t? Business Address ",[lv[r-- ift- ; rr-n"^- et t [' -^^-rt Party L"/l' l3 Date E)GIIBITA EXHIBIT "4" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated October 28,2013 in Case No. IPC-E-l3- l5 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Idaho Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W. Washington Street. Boise. ID 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party /o(30 / 20/3 EXHIBIT "A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated October 28,2013 in Case No. IPC-E-l3- 15 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Idaho Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W. Washington Street. Boise. ID 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party EXHIBIT "A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated October 28,2013 in Case No. IPC-E-l3- l5 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Idaho Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W. Washington Street. Boise.ID 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party EXHIBIT "A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated October 28,2013 in Case No. IPC-E-l3- l5 and agree to be bound by the terms and condition;tof such Agreement. Idaho Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W. Washington Street. Boise.ID 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party t7