20051026Comments.pdf

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Idaho Public Utilities CODlDlission
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Comment/Inquiry Form
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Submit electronically below or print and return to:
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
POBox 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
FAX: [phone]
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Enclosed p/easelmd commel1ts submitted trom the Utilities Leadership Team of the
idaho Community Action Nen-vork.
Please contact Sam Blair at [phone] with any questions.
Thank )~ou.
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Idaho Community Action Network
3450 Hill Road. Boise, 10 83703 . [phone] . fax [phone]
1151 Oakley. Burley, ID 83318 . [phone] . fax [phone]
Case Number 31-2101-0402
Dear CO1TIlnissioners:
We are meJnbers of the Idaho Com1uunity Action Network who have been activelyil1volved in the Rules change process. We have discussed the changes you proposed with
members around the State. These are our written comments about the changes you haveproposed to make, and the changes you are not proposing, on behalf the organization.
Rule 304:
We proposed requiring the utilities to send out notices 14 days, rather than 7 days, beforeshutoffs, and requiring the utilities to make two doCUlnented attempts to contact the
household by phone Or in person. The Staff rccorn111ended that, instead of amending the
rule, ICAN , the utilities, and Statf continue to meet in an infonnal process to develop
rules. JCAN will participate in that infomlal process, but we beJieve that it would be
better to change the rules. As we testified, the mail system in l11any parts of Idaho is
unreliable, and sending the final notices early will give people a better chance of
preventing a shutoft: Many lCAN members have had their power shutoff without ever
getting a notice. We think that 8, rule change, rather than a. voluntary agreelnent that the
utilities can walk away from any tiIne, is needed.
Rule 305:
We are very happy to see that the Commission has decided to require gas and electric
utilities to add information about the winter 1110ratorium to shutoff notices during the
months of November to Febnlary. It win help tlunilies a great deal if they can find that
infonnation there when they are trying to figure out what to do about a shutoff notice.
We urge the Commission to reconsider adding warnings in languages other than English
to the shutoff notice. As OUf 1nembers testifIed at the public hearing~ there are many
people in Idaho who need that help. It would cost the utilities next to nothing to add that
warning to the notices, and it would n1ake a huge difference to the families that need
language services. Many of the utilities already add these warnings to shutoffnotices
they send in Oregon. hnmigrants are an important part of our communities across the
state, and the utilities should give them the infonnation they need to keep the power on.
Finally, we sti11 believe that the utilities should be required to add the time and day of
sh~toffto the shutoff notices. We understand that the utilities say that it would cost th8Jll
too much money to do that. It would make a big difference to families, especiaHy
OCT -26-2005 WED 10: 45 NWFCO 2065685444 P, 03
falnilies that have not gotten shutoff notices in time to collect the money and get it to the
utility.
Rule 306:
We think that it is a great idea to expand eligibility for the winter moratoriun1 to LIHEAP
recipients. That makes the rule much fairer in some ways, because there were many
people who did not have kids, seniors, or infirm people in the household but needed the
protection of the moratorium. Many people will benefit from this change. There is one
way in which the LIHEAP eligibility rules are not fair - they exclude undOCUlnented
iInmigrants. There are many undocumented people who are members of our coJnmuruty,
and it is unfair to exclude them from the assistance program and the moratonmn.
hope that you will join us in urging the State to change that nlle. We also hope you win
join us in urging the State to increase funding for the program, as many TIl0re people
might apply so they can qualify for the moratorium and the LIHEAP program is always
underfunded.
Weare also glad that you are requiring the utilities to turn the power on at a new house
for a moratoriUlT1-eligible family that moves during the winter. It would be tenible for a
t~\1nHy to be stuck in a bad or dangerous housing situation because it was the only way to
keep the heat on.
Weare disappointed that you did not expand the moratoriulTI to cover the months
Nov81uber and March. As our 11leJnbers have testified, these rnonths are as cold as the
other winter lTIonths, and many people get their power shut off in Nove1nber.
We also think that you should require the utilities to turn power back on for moratorium
eligible families that have had their power shut off before the moratorium begins. If you
need the power on, you should have it on - that is the point of the moratorium. Most
people work very hard to pay off the bills they build up during the winter. Turning the
power off~ or leaving it off
, "
for their own good " so they can t build up a huge bill, is not
the solution.
Rule 308:
We continue to urge the Commission to change the medical certificate exception to allow
renewable six- or 12-nlonth certificates. The utilities argued that they are taking care of
people without a rule to require theln to, but that is not our experience. ICAN member
have many stories about having trouble getting their doctors to send certificates every
month! and having trouble getting any help from the utilities. We hope that you will
reconsider this rule very soon , and we will continue to keep you informed ofproble1t'!s
our members have with this rule.
Rule 311
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Ending terminations on tIle days before holidays and Fridays before noon is a great
change. Many of our mernbers will have an easier ti1ne because of this rule change. We
think you could go even further, and end terminations On Fridays, so that working people
do not come home on Friday to a cold house and have to pay the extra fee to connect over
the weekend or go cold. As our members testified; the notices do not always arrive
before the shutoff trucks, and people are still being sutprised by shutoffs on Fridays.
Rule 701:
The changes to this rule, providing more infolmation in the summaries; and translating
them into Spanish, are going to help people a lot. We are very happy to see these
changes.
Rule 702:
We hope that you will continue to build on the decision to provide rule summaries in
Spanish by requiring the utilities to provide more materials in languages other than
English.
Sincerely,
Karen McWil1iams
Sharon Me WIlliams
Retta Green
Emily Jones
Krista Ziebm1h
lacl Byington
Peggy Byington
Ron Matthews
Anna Matthews
Bob Dye
Mona Montgomery
Terri Sterling
Kathy MeN ary
Roxy Carr
Dennis Hobbs
Phil Chandnoit
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Idaho Public Utilities Commission
POBox 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
FAX: [phone]
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Case No.RUL-O4-
Your name
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City
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ZIP
Home telephone
Email Address
Name of Utility Company
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Add to mailing list for this case Yes
Below, please describe your question or comment briefly.
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Jean Jewell
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Monday, October 24, 2005 3:34 PM
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WWW Form Submission:
Monday, October 24, 2005
2 : 34 : 23
Case:
Name: Dona Burns
Street Address: 4655 Tahoe Pi
City: Chubuck
State: ID
ZIP: 83201
Home Telephone: [phone]
E-Mail: donamayb52&msn. com
Company: Idaho power
mailing list yes no: 'yes
Comment=desc ipt on: epresenting the disadvantaged population, I feel keeping people
during the holidays please be allowed to maintain their service. In addition to the
Spanish speaking people, I believe their rights are also important.
I wish there were a way to make the process of obtaining a medical certificate for
disabled person now having electricity, especially heat and lights during the cold months.
Also, I feel it would be logical and humanely justified to allow no utility shut off on
Fridays, thus allowing individuals to attend to their utility bills on the following
Monday or workday.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Transaction ID: 10241434.Referred by: http: I Iwww. puc. state. ide usl scripts/polyform. dill ipucUser Address: 70.56.201.199
User Hostname: 70.56.201.199