HomeMy WebLinkAbout20111222Application Intervenor Funding.pdfLAW OFFICES OF
W. MARCUS W. NYE
RANDALL C. BUDGE
JOHN A. BAILEY, JR.JOHN R. GOODELL
JOHN B. INGELSTROM
DANIEL C. GREEN
BRENT O. ROCHE
KIRK B. HADLEY
FRED J. LEWIS
ERIC L. OLSEN
CONRAD J. AIKEN
RICHARD A. HEARN, M.D.
LANE V. ERICKSONFREDERICK J. HAHN, III
PATRICK N. GEORGE
SCOTT J. SMITH
DAVID E. ALEXANDERJOSHUA D. JOHNSON
STEPHEN J. MUHONEN
CANDICE M. MCHUGH
CAROL TIPPI VOLYNJONATHON S. BYINGTON
JONATHAN M. VOLYN
BRENT L. WHITING
DAVE BAGLEY
THOMAS J. BUDGE
JASON E. FLAIG
FERRELL S. RYAN, II
AARON A. CRARYJOHN J. BULGER
BRETT R CAHOON
JEFFREY A. WARR
RACINE OLSON NYE BUDGE~e~'~J!~
CHARTERED ..
2~~:~i:F;~CNET:~xS~:iZ 1 DEC 22 PM 4= 00
POCATELLO, IDAHO 83204-1391
t lJ ¡\t;'_.¡ CJTELEPHONE (208) 232-¡;''''L ri"!t::"~FACSIMILE (208) 232-e:ilobl.. ,'- '"'
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LOUIS F. RACINE (1817-2008)
WILLIAM D. OLSON, OF COUNSEL
December 22, 2011
Jean D. Jewell, Secretar
Idaho Public Utilties Commission
PO Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
Re: Case No. PAC-E-11-12
Dear Ms. Jewell:
Enclosed for filing please find an original and seven (7) copies of the Application of
Intervenor Funding for Idaho Irrgation Pumpers Association.
Sincerely,
ELO:rg
Enclosures
cc: Service List
Eric L. Olsen, ISB No. 4811
RACINE, OLSON, NYE, BUDGE &
BAILEY, CHATERED
P.O. Box 1391; 201 E. Center
Pocatello, Idaho 83204-1391
Telephone: (208) 232-6101
Fax: (208) 232-6109
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2311 DEC 22 PM 4: 00
Attorneys for Intervenor
Idaho Irrigation Pupers Association, Inc.
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMSSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF )
PACIFICORP, DBA ROCKY MOUNTAIN )
POWER, FOR APPROVAL OF CHAGES )
TO ITS ELECTRIC SERVICE SCHEDULES )
)
CASE NO. PAC.E.ll.12
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNING OF
THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
COMES NOW the Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association, Inc. ("Irrigators "), by and though
counsel of record, Eric L. Olsen, and hereby respectfully makes application to the Idaho Public
Utilties Commission ("Commission") for intervenor fuding, pursuant to Idaho Code § 61-617 A and
IDAPA 31.01.01.161 though .165, in Rocky Mountain Power's general rate case, as follows:
(A) A summar of the expenses that the Irrigators request to recover broken down into
legal fees, consultant fees and other costs and expenses is set fort in Exhibit "A" attached hereto and
incorporated by reference. Itemized statements that support the legal and consultant time spent in this
case are available upon request.
(B) This case was filed on May 27, 2011. The Irrgators imediately intervened and began
reviewing the case. The Irrigators submitted to Rocky Mountain Power approximately 74 data
requests and reviewed the responses thereto, along with reviewing the other data responses that Rocky
Mountain Power provided to the other paries in this case. The Irrigators asserted in the settlement
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNING OF IDAHO IRGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.. 1
process that Rock Mountain Power is allocating a disproportionate share of costs to the Idaho
jurisdiction because it is using an erroneous MW sales number for the Idaho jurisdiction to derive
the allocators. The Irigators also developed revenue normalization adjustments for the residential and
irigation customer classes that were asserted in the settlement negotiations and which ultimately
formed a basis for the settlement of this case. These proposed adjustments were provided to all the
paries and discussed with Commission Staff. The Irrigators actively paricipated in the settlement
negotiations that were held in this case and signed the Stipulation. The Irrigators now urge the
Commission to adopt the Stipulation as a fair, just and reasonable resolution of the issues dealt with
therein. Notwithstanding the settlement, the Irrigators had to prepare and approached this case as if
it would have gone to a full blown technical hearing on the merits of all issues presented. ( C )
The expenses and costs incurred by the Irrigators set fort in Exhibit A are reasonable in
amount and were necessarily incurred. The expenses and costs were incured in reviewing the
Company's filng, preparing and reviewing approximately 74 Irrgator data requests and responses,
preparing settlement positions on revenue requirement issues, paricipating in settlement
conferences/negotiations that resulted in the Stipulation, reviewing the Stipulation language, and in
paricipating in the recent technical hearings to support the adoption of the Stipulation by the
Commission.
(D) The costs described in Paragraph (A) above constitute a financial hardship for the
Irrigators. The Irrigators curently have approximately $27,784.81 in the ban with outstanding
accounts payable from this case and the pending Idaho Power general rate case totaling approximately
$46,070.75. This leaves us at a curent deficit of approximately $18,285.94. Paricipatig in the more
frequent general rate cases has been taxing on the Irrigators' limited resources.
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUING OF IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMERS ASSOCIATION, INC. - 2
The Irrigators are an Idaho nonprofit corporation qualified under I.R.C. § 501(c)(5)
representing far interests in electric utilty rate matters affecting farers in southern and central
Idaho. The Irrigators rely solely upon dues and contributions voluntarily paid by members, together
with intervenor funding, to support activities and paricipate in rate cases. Each year mailings are sent
to approximately 7500 Idaho Irrigators (approximately two-thirds in the Idaho Power Company
service area and one-third in the RMP service area), soliciting anual dues. The Irrigators recommend
members make voluntar contributions based on acres irrigated or horsepower per pump. Member
contributions have been falling which are believed to be attributable to the depressed agricultural
economy and increased operating costs and theats, paricularly those relating to water right protection
issues.
From member contributions the Irrigators must pay all expenses, which generally include
mailng expenses, meeting expenses and shared office space in Boise, Idaho, in addition to the
expenses relating to paricipation in rate cases. The Executive Director, Lynn Tominaga, is the only
par-time paid employee, receiving a retainer plus expenses for office space, office equipment, and
secretarial services. Officers and directors are elected anually and serve without compensation.
It has been and continues to be a financial hardship for the Irrigators to fully paricipate in all
rate matters affecting its members. As a result of financial constraints, paricipation in past rate cases
and in this case has been selective and, primarily, on a limited basis. The Irrigators also just finished
paricipating in Idaho Power's general rate case. This concurent paricipation in the Idaho Power
proceedings has added additional financial strain on the organization this year.
(E) The Irgators' positions urged in the settlement negotiations were diferent with respect
to the jurisdictional revenue requirement and similar to Commission Staff proposed adjustments to
normalize or increase class revenue for the residential and irigation class. However, they materially
APPLICATION FOR INERVENOR FUNING OF IDAHO IRGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION, INC. - 3
differed in that the jurisdictional revenue adjustment was unique the Irrigators and the Irrigators'
revenue adjustment was larger than that proposed by the Commission Staff. As a signatory of the
Stipulation, the Irrigators necessarily are aligned with Commission Staff in urging the Commission
adopt the Stipulation.
(F) The Irrigators' paricipation addressed issues of concern to the general body of users
or consumers on Rocky Mountain Power's system by reducing its alleged revenue requirements.
This reduction is embodied in the Stipulation.
(G) The Irrigators represent the irrigation class of customers under Schedule 10.
Based on the foregoing, it is respectfully submitted that the Irrigators are a qualifying
intervenor and should be entitled to an award of costs of intervention pursuant to Idaho Code § 61-
617A and IDAPA 31.01.01.161 though .165 in such amount as determined by the Commission.
DATED this 22nd day of December, 2011.
RACINE, OLSON, NYE, BUDGE &
BAILEY, CHARTERED
BY~~'''~
ERIC L. 0
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNING OF IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMERS ASSOCIATION, INC.. 4
CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
I HEREBY CERTIFY that on this ."~ day of December, 2011, I served a true, correct
and complete copy of the foregoing document, to each of the following, via the method so indicated:
Jean D. Jewell, Secretar
Idaho Public Utilties Commission
P.O. Box 83720
472 W / Washington Street
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
j jewell~puc.state.id. us
x U.S. Mail/Postage Prepaid
E-Mail
Facsimile
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Ted Weston
Idaho Regulatory Affairs Manager
201 South Main, Suite 2300
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
ted. weston~pacificorp.com
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Daniel E. Solander
PacifiCorp/dba Rocky Mountain Power
201 South Main, Suite 2300
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
daniel.solanderØJacificorp.com
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Tim Buller
Agrium Inc.
3010 Conda Road
Soda Springs, ID 83276
TBuller~agrium.com
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Ronald L. Wiliams
Willams Bradbur, P.C.
1015 W. Hays St.
Boise, Idaho 83702
ron~wiliamsbradbui.com
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APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUING OF IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMERS ASSOCIATION, INC. . 5
Don Schoenbeck
RCS, Inc.
900 Washington Street, Suite 780
Vancouver, W A 98660
dwsCßr-c-s-inc.com
Benjamin J. Otto
Idaho Conservation League
710 N. 6th Street
PO Box 844
Boise, Idaho 83702
bottoCßidahoconservation.org
Randall C. Budge
Racine Olson Nye Budge & Bailey Chtd.
P.O. Box 1391; 201 E. Center Street
Pocatello, Idaho 83204
rcbCßracinelaw.net
Brubaker & Associates
17244 W. Cordova Cour
Surrise, AZ 85387
bcollinsCßconsultbai.com
James R. Smith
Monsanto Company
P.O. Box 816
Soda Springs, ID 83276
jim.r.smithCßmonsanto.com
Brad M. Purdy
Attorney at Law
2019 N. 17th Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
bmpurdyCßhotmail.com
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~~.44..~
ERIC L. OL
APPLICATION FOR INERVENOR FUING OF IDAHO IRIGATION PUMERS ASSOCIATION, INC. - 6
EXHIBIT A
SUMMARY OF EXPENSES INCURRD BY IRRGATORS
IN CASE NO. PAC-E-l1-12
1. Legal Fees:
Eric L. Olsen (Parner):
53.4 hrs ~ 185.00 per hour $ 9,879.00
Costs:
Mileage, Hotel, Meals $ 1,403.96
Total Work and Costs:$11,282.96
2. Consultant Anthony J. Yanel:
201 hrs ~ $125 per hour $~5,125.00
Expenses:
Travel, room and meals $0.00
Total Work and Costs:$25.125.00
TOTAL FEES AND EXPENSES:$36,407.96