20041130Comment.pdf

ICAN Call to Action:
Low-Income Idahoans are Frozen
Out bv Our Utilill Companies!
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Please take a few minutes to write and submit a comment to the Idaho
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Public Utilities Commission and urge the Commission to extend
Idaho s Winter Moratorium (which currently runs only Dec I-Feb 28
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and ties Idaho and West Virginia for the dubious distinction
shortest date-based moratorium in the country) to cover November and
March.aswell- a real Idaho winter!
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The,end of .the Winter Moratorium means shutoffs for Idaho
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fiimilies~-a:styear, four gas and electric companies regulatetl;;by~;:the '
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ue shut off the power on 2 998 families during the three months after
the Moratorium ended (March, April, May).
The Winter Moratorium protects vulnerable families. Each of these
households had members who were children, seniors, or people whose
health was endangered by losing the power.
Families don t have enough money to
pay their utility bills. One third of the
families that were shut off were receiving
low income heating assistance. Those
households were living at or below 150
percent of the federal poverty level, or
$28 275 a year for a family of four.
How many households did your
utility company shut off?
A vista 614
Idaho Power 563
Intermountain Gas 728
Utah Power
The end of the Moratorium doesn t mean the end of winter in
Idaho. In March, the average low temperature is 340, in Boise, 270 in
Pocatello, and 21 0 in McCall. In March 2003 , 1 258 moratorium-
eligible families had their power shut off.
To help fight unfair shutoffs, contact the Idaho Community Action Network
[phone] . 3450 Hill Road , Boise, 10 83703
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Idaho Public Utilities Commission
POBox 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074 ZUf1!1 NOV 30 f\t)~ 9: .
FAX: [phone] ;0' (it) rUULIC
UTiliTiES COl'1r'i!SStON
Commentlln uir Form
31-2101-0402
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Case No.
Your name
Address
State
ZIP
Home tele hone
Email Address
Name of Utili Com an
Add to mailin list for this case
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Below, please describe your question or comment briefly... - "'C'
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Today is November 20th and the predicted high temperature is 39 degrees. What would I
do if I had no heat? Would my coat and bed blankets be enough to ward off the
penetrating chilli would feel inside my house. What about the young children and the older
adults? We know that November is just the start of the cold weather season.
It is time for the Idaho utilities to be concerned about the needs of their community. Profits
can be shared with those who need assistance. We urge the Public Utilities Commission to
protect ALL of the public by extending Idaho s Winter Moratorium to include November
through March.
Connie Schroeder'
Kathryn Earhart
Peggy McClendon
Candace Oiabinski
Peggy Bohl
Ingrid Brudenell
Patricia Bliss