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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20180214Protective Agreement.pdfPROTECTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IDAHO POWER COMPANY AND IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STAFF (AND OTHER PARTIES AS APPLICABLE) CASE NO.IPC.E.I7-I6 This Protective Agreement is entered into this 6th day of February 2018 by ldaho Power Company ("Idaho Power") and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Staff1, and other parties as applicable. Recitals: l. WHEREAS, Idaho Power and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Staff (hereinafter "Staff') anticipate that parties to this proceeding may make requests to provide, or make available for review, certain information, considered by its custodian to be of a trade secret, privileged or confidential nature (as defined in ldaho Code $$ 74-107 through 74-109 and 48-801). 2. WHEREAS, Idaho Power and the undersigned parties agree that entering into a Protective Agreement will expedite the production of documents; will afford the necessary protection to Idaho Power's and the undersigned parties' employees and/or representatives in Case No. IPC-E- I 7- 16 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 during the course of the proceedings, now therefore, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AI\D AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 1. (a) Confidential Information All documents, data, information, studies and other materials furnished pursuant to any requests for information, subpoenas or other modes of discovery (formal or informal), and including depositions, that are claimed to be of trade secret, proprietary or confidential nature (herein referred to as "Confidential Information") shall be so marked by the party or entity providing the information by stamping the same with a designation indicating its trade secret, proprietary or confidential nature and printed on "yellow" paper. IDAPA 31.01.01.067. Any claim of confidentiality must be accompanied by an attorney's certificate that the material is protected by law from public disclosure and cite the specific legal authority to support the claim. IDAPA 31.01.01.233. frECEIVEI) z0tilFIB th ?il ?: l? lI-t l.r':', IrtlI ln I : i,lj'i'; i: r:;'r oiq ii i5s roru PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT - I (b) Protection of Confidential Information Access to and review of Confidential Information shall be strictly controlled by the terms of this Agreement. Unless otherwise ordered, Confidential Information, including transcripts of depositions containing information to which a claim of confidentiality is made, shallremain under seal, shall continue to be subject to the protective requirements of this Agreement, and shall not be disclosed to individuals who have not executed the nondisclosure agreement set forth in Exhibit "A." (c) Use of Confidential Information All persons who may be entitled to review, or who are afforded access to any Confidential Information by reason of this Agreement 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 the proceedings, and then solely as contemplated herein, and shall keep the Confidential Information secure as trade secret, confidential or proprietary information and in accordance with the purposes and intent of this Agreement. (d) Persons Entitled to Review Access to Confidential Information shall be limited to counselof 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. (e)No@ Confidential Information shall not be disclosed to any person who has not signed a non- disclosure agreement on this form, which is attached hereto as Exhibit o'A" and incorporated herein. The non-disclosure 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 full name, permanent address and employer. Such agreement shall be delivered to counsel for the providing party, before disclosure is made. 2. Copies No copies or transcriptions of the Confidential Information shall be made by the recipient except as necessary to make the information available to individuals who have executed an Exhibit "A" to this Protective Agreement. PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT - 2 3. Non-waiver of Obiection to Admissibilitv The furnishing of any document, information, data, study or other materials pursuant to this Protective Agreement shall in no way Iimit or waive the right of the providing party to object to its relevance or admissibility in any proceedings before this Commission. 4. Challenee to Confidentialitv (a) Initial Challenee This Protective Agreement establishes a procedure for the expeditious handling of information that a party claims is confidential. Any pafty may challenge the characterization of any information, document, data or study claimed by the providing party to be a trade secret, proprietary or confidential information. A party seeking to challenge the confidentiality of any information shall first contact counsel for the providing party and attempt to resolve any difference by stipulation. Resolution may include removing the confidential classifications, creating a non-confidential summary, reformatting the information, etc. (b) Subsequent Challenee In the event that the parties cannot agree as to the character of the information challenged, any party challenging the confidentiality may petition the Commission to rule upon the disputed information. The Petition shall be served upon the Commission and all parties to the case who have signed an Exhibit "A" as provided in this Protective Agreement. 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 challenging parry. (c) Challense Hearins The challenging party shall request that the Commission conduct an in camera proceeding where only those persons duly authorized to 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 the providing party and the Commission. The record of the in camera hearing shall be marked "CONFIDENTIAL - Subject to Protective Agreement." To the extent necessary, the transcript of such hearing shall be separately bound, segregated, sealed, and withheld from public inspection by any person not bound by the terms of this Agreement. PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT - 3 (d) Determination The parties will ask the Commission to issue an Order determining whether any challenged information or material is not properly deemed to be exempt from public disclosure pursuant to the Idaho Public Records Act (Idaho Code $$ 74-l01through 7 4-126). If information is found to be not exempt from disclosure, no parfy shall disclose such challenged material or use it in the public record, or otherwise outside the proceedings for at least five (5) business days unless the providing party consents to such conduct. This procedure enables the restrictions of this Agreement from material claimed to be confidential. Such relief may be sought from the Commission or a court of competent j urisdiction. 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: (1) If the requesting 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 the providing party 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 Agreement. (2) One (l) copy of the used Confidentiallnformation or substantive reference to Confidential Information or substantive reference to Confidential Information described in paragraph 5(a)(1) shall be placed in the sealed record. (3) The copy of the documents to be placed in the sealed record shallbe tendered by counsel for the providing party 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 CONFIDENTIALITY" and shall not be examined by any person except under the conditions set forth in this Agreement, if applicable. PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT - 4 (c) In Cazera Hearing and Transcripts Any Confidential Information that must be orally disclosed at a hearing in the proceedings shall be offered at an in camera 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. (d)Access to Record Access to sealed testimony, records, and information shallbe limited to the Commission and persons who have signed an Exhibit "A" as provided in this Protective Agreement, unless such infbrmation is released from the restrictions of this Agreement either 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 finaljurisdiction. (e) Appeal Should an appeal from the proceeding be taken, sealed portions of the record may be forwarded 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 party shall be notified which portion of the sealed record has been designated by the appealing party as necessary to the record on appeal. 6. Use in Pleadinss 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 Information 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 nondisclosure agreements set forth in Exhibit "A" attached to this Protective Agreement, and may, in turn, be disclosed by them only to individuals who likewise signed Exhibit ,,Arr. PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT . 5 7, Summary of Reesrd If deemed necessary by the Commission, the providing parties shall prepare a written summary of the Confidential Information referred to in Orders to be issued to the public and the parties. 8. Return or Destruction of Confidential Information (a) Upon request of the providing party, all original documents and copies of the Confidential Information shall be: (l) retumed to the providing party;or (2) or at the option of the recipient destroyed within thirty (30) days after the final settlement or conclusion ofthe proceedings, including administrative or judicial review thereof. After return or destruction of documents pursuant to this paragraph, and upon request, a written receipt verifuing return or destruction shall be provided by counsel. (b) On a case-by-case basis and upon notification to the utility, the Commission Staff may retain one copy of the Confidential Information under seal. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, any member of Staff may review and use that copy of the Confidential Information outside this proceeding while performing his or her duties as a Staff member. Staffls use and disclosure of the Confidential Information in a later Commission proceeding shall be subject to any protective agreement signed in the proceeding. (c) Any notes maintained by a recipient of Confidential Information which embody or reflect any of the Confidential Information provided under this Agreement shall, upon request of the providing party, be either retumed to the providing party or, at the option of the recipient, destroyed. 9. Effective Date This Protective Agreement shall become effective on the date hereof. PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT - 6 DATED this 6th day of February 2018. IDAHO POWER COMPANY By A. Idaho Power Company l22l West Idaho Street Boise, Idaho 83702 Attorney Representing Idaho Power Company IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STAFF By ttomey General Idaho Public Utilities Commission 472West Washinglon Boise,ldaho 83702 Attorney Representing the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Staff PROTECTIVE AGREEMENT - 7 ( EXHIBIT ..A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6th day of February 2018 in Case No. IPC-E-17-16 and agree to be bound by the terms of such Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W . Washington Street, Boise, lD 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party ,'!-6- tl Date EXHIBIT ..A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6th day of February 2018 in Case No IPC-E- l7- l6 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Stacey Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W . Washington Street. Boise, ID 83792 Business Address Commission Staff Party d (!2ol g Date 6t, ur4/tr,tDonvlnto* EXHIBIT "A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6th day of February 2018 in Case No. IPC-E-17-16 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. f,lrul C^,Jr* Terri Carlock Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472W. Washinston Street, Boise, lD 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party Date 1 ac EXHIBIT *A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6ft day of February 2018 in Case No. IPC-E-17-16 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472W. Washineton Street. Boise. ID 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Kathy Party 4o*rbra*,a b )0 tl Date (I EXHIBIT "A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6b day of February 201 8 in Case No. IPC-E-17-16 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Michael Eldred Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472W. Washinston Street. Boise.ID 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party dalrs Date EXHIBIT ..A" I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6s day of February 2018 in Case No. IFC-E-17-16 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 472 W. Washineton StreeJ, Boise, lD 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party Date EXHIBIT "A'' I have reviewed the foregoing Protective Agreement dated this 6'r' day of February 2018 in Case No. IPC-E- 17- 16 and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of such Agreement. Mike Public Utilities Commission Employer or Firm 412 W . Washinston Street.rD 83702 Business Address Commission Staff Party Z Date