20090417Comments.pdf

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t4 AV./ 1'~.;. H
Olive A. Haris
P.O. Box 1682
Sandpoint, Idaho 83864-0871
11 i: i
2009 APR l 6 Ar1 8= 19
Idaho Public Utilties Commssion
P. O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
Dear Public Utilities Commissioners:
Here we go again (aren~t they busy enough?) another rate increase in a time
of lost wages, home foreclosures, and loss of jobs. I hope you understand I
am barely making it as a 67 year old retired teacher and widow who stil has
to work to make ends meet. I realize I am captive to this business and they
have to make money to stay in business, but to be insensitive to what is
happening in our community is beyond all understanding. We as citizens
have to tighten our belts so should A vista.
As Public Commissioners, aren't you suppose to be our advocates and
protect our interests also? Do you really ask Avista the tough questions or do
you take their work on everyhing. I am enclosing 3 articles which I hope
you read and think about before you ask those questions and give them the
rate increase. Do you really investigate A vista so you can make a sound
decision?
In one of Avista~ s news letters, they mentioned that they are considering
assessing each rate payer 50 cents a month to assist their assistance program.
I would give if i could, but my bil comes first. To charge me 50 cents a
month is just so wrong. Avista is as bad as the Obama administration with
its bailouts. i do see abuse of this program - assistance program. i work with
a person who gets her electric bill by Avista, and she is working, also, on
her Masters degree at the U ofl. Avista is not checking out the people who
they assist. Forcing me to "captive donate" is just absolutely Socialistic crap.
This program should go to those who are in truly in nee espeially the
families with children and deserving widows and widowers not to people
who don't live on a budget or who are capable of working but choose not to
work.
I find it diffcult for me to at times pay my bill, but I budget and shift my bill
money so I can make payments. I should not be responsible for someone
else's bil.
Finally, I don~t have a problem with very deservng people in the Avista
Corporation receive incentive pay during goo times, but the amount seems
overkil when pele are strggling to make ends meet.
Please commissioners, be our advocate. Thank you~Q.d~
Olive A. haris
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--
:,
FFITCH
Continulk frm A1
and a 2.5 percent increase in
naturíi gas rates. The latest
request is pendig before the
utities commsion, which has 11
. month to act
"Customers are gett real
tied of these anual hits, and
they're not sma hits," fftch said.
"There's a lit to what.
customers can aford to pay."
He appealed the rateincrèase
that took èffect in Januar in
Thurston County Supenor Cour
sayi the utities commsion's
deciion contaied "keylega
errors," and the rate hie should
be rolled back by 25 percent
Abo.ut $60,000 in the rate request
was for improper advertsing to .
promote A vistas corporate image
and encourage cusomers to use
natu ga, fftch said. A bigger
issue in the appeal is Avista's
settem.entwith the Coeur '
dA1ene Tre over the company's
hitoric use of Lake Coeur
d Alene as a reservoir for
downtream dam. Ratepayers
shouldn't have to shoulder the
company'sretroactve..payment
for decades of trespass ohthe
trbe's submergedlands,fftdY
said. Those fees -about
$39 mion - are reflected in thelatest rate hie.
Avista diagrees. ''Wen we
take a look atwhat he's doing
(with the appeal, we're prett
diappointed," said Kelly
Norwood, Avistasvice president
. of state andfederalreguation.
Norwoôd said the issues raied
in the appeal were hashed over in
detai by the Washigton Utities
and TranporttionCommssion,
anddisnrssed.
. Avita doesn't lie to ask for
higher rates, said Jessie Wuerst, a
company spokeswoma Butin
recent year, the company has
been squeezed by higher ' , .
wholesalepowetcosts, plus the
need to replace ag equipment
and repai Avista's tattèd credit
ratig, she said.
. "The utity indust is highy
scrutied," Wuerst said "The
Use of every ratepayer dollar is
audited and reviewed and
approved by the utity
commsion."
I;
q
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't,..
i',A public cru=sader
In person, fftchis a measured
speaker, with the slightly ,
rupledlook of a college
professor.
Utity law has been a
near-const in hi career.
Before movi to the Public
Counel Divisioii12 year ago, he
worked as an admstrative law
judge at both the Oregon and
Washigton utitiei;
'-
r;
commsions. His résuméalo
includes a stit in reguatory
bang at the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corp.
"The guy appears to eat, live
and sleep th stu. He's a total
crader on the behal of the
public, ... I tl he's frstatig
to the utities because of his
dogged effort to mae surethe
Averag Joe and Josephie ha
their needs heard," said Gar
Snrth executive diector of th
Independent Business
Association.
The association represents
4,300 sinal Washigton
compaies. Smith said hi clieits .
don't have tieto follow
proposed rate increases or testi
, before the Washigton Utities
and Tranporttion Commsion.
The complexity of the utity
issues is alo a deterrent.
"I could never read a utity
taff and hope to. understadwhat it mean," Snrth saiä. "I ca
read laborlaws,envionmenta
laws and ta laws, but utity'law
is a world unto its oWn. ...Thats
why the Offce of Public Counsel
is a tota godsend.""I tlwe'dall be payi
more for our servce if Simon
fftch and the Public Counel
weren'tat the table," said Chuck
Eberdt, manager of the Energy .Project in Bel, which
promotes afrdable energy for
low-income people.
Eberdt said the Energy
Projectsinterests often al .with the Public Counel Diviion.
. But occasionay, EberdtaÏd
fftchfid. themselves òn:
opposite sides in rate cases.
"I don't lie bein .
cross~examed by hi" Eberdt
sad "Be asks the tough
questons. ... He doesn't back
down"
Weighing needs
Thè Attorney General's offce
of Public Counel staed in 1983,
whenhigh.costs from the 1970s
energy cris wei:e still fresh in
people's memories. Ken
Eikenberr, then the attorney
general wanted to make sure that '.
consUmer interestsgofa fai
, hear before the Washigton
Utities and Tranporttion
Commssion.
The diviion employs two
attoreys, includig fftch The
sta alo includes one fu-tie
and two par-tie reguatory '., '
anyst, who pl'ovide teccal
experte, The division'~ anual
budget of $910,000 also pays for
exert witnsses, who testify on
topics such as utities' ficial
health qualty of servce and
power costs.
Rate casesar.e comple lega. "
proceedi. The Washigton '
Utilities and Tranporttion CEO Scott Morr and 13 other
Commssion acts as a judge, top offcers~ And the salar costs,
weighg a company's need to Simock said, are borne by the '
cover its costs and tum a: profit company's investors as well asaga cuomers' need for fa ratepayers.
and reasonable rates. Rate cases Executie pay is sti
hige on èxpert testony from ~ importt, fftc said. "A mion
attorneys, econonrsts and others . dollars is reii money," he said.
versed in utities. And its a phiosophical issue as
. "One person, by themselves, up wèl~ he said.
aga the utity company really '~ou want to know that at
is a mimatch," fftch said. The ever level of the company, they
utities have "the lawyers aìd are watchig cost and pinchg
they have the exert. ..' We're penesso the customers only
able to redress the balance a litte have to pay whats absolutely
bit ... We provide a voice for necessar in term of increases,"
customers ththas some He also ha bee vocal about
eXperte, some lega resources as Avita and other utities filig
wel as analytc resources, so they yearly requests for higher rates.
. can have an effectve voice in th The requests demonstrate a lack
highy techcal process." oJ desire to control cost Or keep
Other pares are also rates stable, he said '
represented at rate 'caes. Large "I tl tht custmers can
industral cuomers tyicaly legititely askwhèther the
weigh in along with company's real being inanagd
energ-effciency advocates, and properly if theyèome in for a rate
representatives of groups that case every'year,"fftch said.. .
assistneedyfamiles, Avis Norwood,howevei,
. The Washigto;n Utities and' said conditions in the utity
Tranportation ConIsion's ' indust have changeä radicaly
stadard is to determe "fai, ' since the hite 1980s åld 1990s,
jušt, reasonable and suffcient' when'Avita went a decade
rates, said spokeswoma Amda without, askig for a rate hie.
Murdock . Wholesale power cost have
In reti for operatig as doubleci. In addition, prices for
monopoliesir their serce areas, cement and steel skyocketed just
the utities' rates' are set by the as A vist bega replacing .... .. ...'
commssion. Murdock said the 50-year-old tubines at its da~
commssion's chge is to mae. .' and¡ll,akg pnprovementsto ..'
sur the utities remai ..iagngSUt,stao~ and . ...... .,...'.....
. ficialy healthy; whie keeping .,traiinsiotl lies. AvisIà spends
rates fa aid reasonale, .' ¡, ~. lÙ()ut $210,'millol1 per year on.
. "Its a baIancedproceSs," s~d' In~cte- twce as much as
Wuerst, theA vita spokesw()ipap 'fìve year~agOi.Norwo()~aicL. . ..........
. Althe pares have input ')~e neèd a tremeiidous "
. -Soineties the utity,amonnt'Qfcapitajusttokeep the
commsion stafandother , "lígh~,onlsai4~uer~t"That'~J.'.pares reaèha negotiated'W1ywe liye toat1ctinv:~st01' _
settement As Par of tohelpus wÏththsdebt". . '.
negötitions, Avista someties ...b A#w-antsahigherprofit . .
'agees to tae cert costs 0titof .. mag~lJPto a,ttactinvest()rs, The
its rate request~ Wuerst sad"' . " companyisal0w-èd to eaii10.2
Two year ago, Avi ageed'. percentret0nequity. A
totr $L7 mion in executive request to boost the rateto 11 .... '
pay from a rate hie, In pushig ,"....,..percentwas indudeci ÍIAvistis
for the decrease,ffte noteci thatziatest'rate fi,.. .
whie saes for mostAvi .;. '.. W1en investors buy stock in
employees grew by a tôta of18',.Avi they generate iio;neyforperce;nt between 2000 and 2006...:l.the èompany's capitalpröject.
the pay for a former CEO rose by 'Wuérst said ratepayers benefit
nearly 40 percent, and '.because Avista doesn't have to
compensation for other . .,'.borrowas much. Byboosti its.
exeCutives shotup 70 percent o profit magitlie company âl.
. d hopes to liprove its Stadad ...Profits and executive pay.. and.PQorscreditratisoit c.an .
Avita said that whie. get better interest rates when it
exeeutiepay grabs headles, it does hae to borrow, she said
actaly 'accounts for a tiy Ov the past fiveyear,Avita "
-facton of ratepayers' bil. ,faied to hit the 10.2 percent. .,..
"Out of every dollar cut()mers.retu she added, averagjust
pay on their bils, less than t'.less thán8 percent' . .'
one-hal of one penny goes to " . The'ldaoPublic Utities
. executive compensation;" said. Commsionreceitly,approved a .
Debbie Simock, an Avista 10.5 percent rate of retufor
spokeswoma. idaho Power, in Soùthern Iqaho,
. Thi year, salares have been Norwood noted In a Januar ,
. frozen for Avistá chai and order, the commsion referred to
deteriorating credit markets in
expliing its dècision to raiè
the company's retu on equity.
Boostig A vists profit margi
. to 11 percent would cost '
ratepayers about $6 mion in the
cuent request, fftc sáid.
''Wat do you have to offer
investors as a retu to get them
to invest in a company lie "
Avita?" fftch asked. "Thats an
issue that we'll be lookig at in .
upcomig rate cases.", ,
With the economý tag, the
retù needed to entice investors '
may be changi,he said. '
"To the average person on the
street, èarg a 10 percent retu
on an investment ha álways been
'prett good," fftch said. ,
With many investments losing i
money; utities - 'wth their ' !
captive audiences and their, " '.. .\
governt-setrates - could ~e '~,
looki more attactve to, .'
investors, he said."
L
,
I
.1i
I
'1
j
Avista COm.
incentivßp"ày .. .
sees bigjulp
. ' " ~ ,- . -' '--;' ~~"-'.'-í;f" -'.,,';,' ~- ,:~ ~
By BILL BULEY, , " ,~""
Hagadone News Network 'é', "
..,,_,;:'~~_~-..~_~.,..;:~. _~~~..~m-:~~'~~-~_~:;'_..;'~,_:,..
-;t,:'A'';,' -'""~'fT:C'j~'''~~' _,"",,,,,...:~~..~,_,,,
, , Continued from Page 1-'+,',......:, '''.'' .. -- '...~ ,Morris' stock awards
'1 tòtaed$620,897, up from
."-::) ?324, 7.92, last
year, whie his
~."picentive, pay was $404,597,
ùi jump from $43,196 in 2007
when "investor-focused ta-
,gets",were.not met
'... , Thesàlary and compen-
sationof other executives
for 2008, when, Avista had
net income of $73.6 mion,
included:
. Malyn Malquist,execu-
tie vice president and for-
up from $495,012. ..
. . David Meyer, . ~ó-
dent 'and chief
regulatory andtal .. af ear kéJ¡i
with a to~c(r' st~il .
$519, 930, ,up ftoRi , A~,in 2007." ""~" electrc
While al four also received percent: and a'n
substatial increases Íl incen- 'tate increase of3 pétêént" in '1
tive pay in 2008 from the Idaho, but Avista poïnts out
Iprevious year, Wuerst said t:atnie am0untorc~nlpensa7;;l
the long-term stock incentive.' tioli included mrates for '
awards are paid by 'share-- ,. of Avista'sofflcers is'-àb
.. holders, not Avista Utities. hal-èent ôf every doiiarcus-"jèUstomers. 'tomers pay for energy '... ;
Wuerst said the salares 'Wùerst sad thêre . ,
and compensation . packages , e.ral trgers'regad.
utive incentives. . ... ; ,
". Avistasenres 121,00 ,
tre and more than 9300 t-:I
, Ural gas ctstòmers fu Idahò, ' I...., '. !'t .Le ':.-,: oJ;.,-
(Wholistic Health Education Series, Mar/Apr '09)
Are You a "Hazardous Waste Handler" ,
and Don't Know It? by Gloria Gilbère, N.D., D.A,Hom.,
Ph,D., Wholistic Rejuvenist™
Do you have florescent light burbs in your. home or "business? If youdo, congratlllations, you are now a "hazardous lAaste handrer/.Theenergy
, 'SeY'n~:ÇlfJluøre~eJ:itb,urbR.iêNOT
\Ì0í1Ã~):isK1ng yÒ(it' hegrth:,ltone"d~E~akS over carpet, .YQl¡'dihaveto
.irepr9ça,.lne.. en.tire . (gum, ()fc,c:~rpet
.tq,remQýe.--the'.'mercurY' contained
'intpe6urb.::Some consumers have,
becomèso il they'Vèhadtosear-off
the eontaminateeJ ro()1l until it,can
, be safelycreared byspeCieriSts., '
Yes, we must do our parttocon~
. , "./,"" ,,'.', '.' seive energy. However, themediëJ' and rawmakers'eiir;oui-ageustopurchase.compaet f1uorescentJightsCSFLs)
instead,of incandèscèntbe~use they uselessenergy.,Gr~rited¡.;t~eyd?
'However, they/aren't temng'tJs their d~mgerstParticuratIY(\Vhe?d"lan(iU9~
them or when they break: ALWAYS usedisposabre gloves \Ä/~eii'nândUl1g
CFLs - the oil from our skin can cause them to breakórevenexprade.
With help from the media, proponents ôfCFLs convinCedCongres$t9~an
incandescent bulbs in the energy bil President Bushsigneçinto:r~\t.()eç.
19, 2007. The bin increases effciency stndards and bans traditionaLburbsby 2014. " . ,.i "...,......,..
Each CFL contains about 5 mgsof mercury- enough forstateenyiron-
mentar agencies to recommend, compUcatedand expensivecr~anup~for
accidentar bulb qreaks in homes! The 5 mg of mercury are enough - t0c.ön..
taminate 6,000 gallons òf wáter beyond safe drinking revers, according toresearch from Stanford University on mercury.
The follòwing is a guide if you use CFL burbs: ,
1. START with fixtures you use most. Choose CFLs forrocationsWh~re
breakage is rare - ceilng fixtures rather than tabrelampsin high traffcar-
eas. Do not use CFL in children's rooms. . '
2. BUY a few burbs of severar brands and try them for quaUty ofruiii-
nescence. CFLs do rast arong time, all the more reason to, make sure you'
are comfortbre with their Ught quaUty.
3. BUY CFLs with the rowest mercury content, berow 1 mg - .don't go
by The Energy Star rogo; it's NOT an indicator of low mercury.
4. DON'T use CFLs where mercury exposure cleanup is diffcurt -chil-
dren's roonis, playrooms, recreation/family rooms, workbenches, waH-to-
waH carpet, and near irrepraceable rugs and furniture.
~1.ø-1_
/t:ealt
~ch lAp'
5. DON'T use CFLs in closets and other spots lit for short periods-:CFLs
take 10 to 15 minutes to reach optimum light and effciency.
6. USE mercury-free bulbs such as LED (light emitting diodes)orhalo-
gen energy-savers where CFLs don't work or pose a high risk.Consid.erLED
or halogen for stirs and hallways where eFLs slow start-up pose ,a safetyrisk" ',,' ,\ '..'....'...'.. ,...,.
7. CLEANING-UP BROKEN CFL BULBS - If you break a buJb follow the,
lO-step clean-up recommended by Environmental Working Group (EVG)':,
a. Have children, pregnant or nursing women, and pets exit immedF.
atelyfrom contaminated area.
b. .. Immediately reduce room temperature.
c. Close doors to contaminated room and open windows to allowivola-
tile ,mercury vapors to vent outdoors - mercury is toxic!
d. ¡ Wear a dust mask or one with a disposable çharcoal filter. ,'" '...' ..;
e,: Using disposable rubber gloves, scooP-up. bulb fragments and use
tape to collect tiny particles - DO NOT vacuum or sweep, mercury wil ,be-
come even more airborne.
f. Seal the waste in a GLAS jar with, a screw-top . lid (always' keep at
least one jar of this type easily accessible).
g. ¡ Dispose of waste properly, IT IS TOXIC -DONaT place in trash or
reccling. cali local Waste Management for specific hazardousvvast dis-po~i directions.. ,
h.' Once you leave the area, wash YO!Jr-handsand nails several times. .
i..! Leave the site for 4- 8 hours, use an air purifierwhen.possible. ,
Ad~itionally, I do not use or recommend, any type of tluorescent~ol~sbe-
cause of other health-related side-effect. I hope, after reading this. artcle,i ,'" , " . ,,'yo~ wil use incandescent, LED, or Halogen ,lighting and conservebyÓnly
Usirg lights in rooms as neeed. If you've ever lived in a home powered by
sol~r energy, as I have, you'd be acutely aware of how to live. comfortble
while conserving your health and enèrgy, naturally.
I
Gloria Gilbère,N.D., D.A.Hom., Ph.D., . Who listie
Rejuvenist is a leading yoicein wholisticandenvi-
ronmental health and rejuvenation. Sheisinterna-
tionallv respected as a natural-health practitioner;
researcher and journalist - ,. having authored over
550 health artcles, 6 courses and9books".includ-
ing bestellers I was Poisoned by my bodY ëlndPain
& Inflammation Matters.
Gloria is a traditional naturopath, homeopath,. doctor of natural health,
EcòErgonomist, and renowned' for designing individual protocols to
identify causes, effect and drug-free solutions to health and.environ-
mental challenges.
/~-~~/óqo
Jean Jewell
¡fa Æ,L,,/~~.; H,
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
fmwest~cableone. net
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 5:50 PM
Jean Jewell; Beverly Barker; Gene Fadness; Ed Howell
PUC Comment Form
A Comment from Fran West follows:
Case Number: AVU- £- -cdl-oJj AVf.-G .09-0(
Name: Fran West
Address: 311 Reservoir Dr
City: Lewistoni
State: ID
. Zip: 83501
Daytime Telephone: [phone]
Contact E-Mail: fmwest~cableone.net
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Add to Mailing List:~
Please describe your comment briefly:
I cannot believe the power the Avista Utility Company has over the customers and the IPUC.
At this time of income losses to so many families, the company should be turned down for
their rate increase requests. The executives can cut thsir salaries and big bonus bucks just
like the average working person. I believe that the IPUC is an entity of the Idaho State
Government and works for the residents of Idaho. Doesn't our opinion count? I can't afford
another increase at this time. Our income has not increased like the salaries of our elected
governmnet officials or the Avista executives and it is time you say NO!!! to this recent
request.
The form submitted on http://www . puc. idaho. gov Iforms/ipuc1/ipuc. html
IP address is 24.117.127.109
1
1~~6JOCf. p I
Jean Jewell
~/f ~.
~ /1i
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Iragan561 cæhotmail.com
Wednesday, April 15, 20092:15 AM
Jean Jewell; Beverly Barker; Gene Fadness; Ed Howell
PUC Comment Form
A Comment from Lynn Ragan follows:
Case Number: Æitt-£-d-ot! Aill -6 YJ9-0/
Name: Lynn Ragan
Address: 630 Evergreen Terrace Road
City: St. Maries
State: ID
Zip: 83861
Daytime Telephone:
Contact E-Mail: lragan561~hotmail.com
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Add to Mailing List:
Please describe your comment briefly:
This household would like to protest approval of Avista' s requested rate increase. In an
economy where many in this community are out of work (including my husband) ~ and where the
recent increase is already making our electric bill unaffordable~ it is difficult to imagine
how one will cope with further increases. Add to that the fact that Avista' s CEO's salary
package was in excess of 2 million dollars~ and that each CDA tribal member recently received
a check in excess of $11~000. We feel that~ like the rest of us~ Avista should be trimming
the excess at this time~ and encourage you to deny ~ in whole~ or in part~ their request for a
rate increase.
The form submitted on http://www . puc. idaho. gov /forms/ipuc1/ipuc ,html
IP address is 64.72.50.10
i