20090824LSO Memo.pdf

Jeff Youtz
Director
Legislative Services Offce
Idaho State LegislatueS ~
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Germane Subcommittees for Administrative Riles Review of the Senat9id 0
House of Representatives State Affairs Committees -"-
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MEMORAUM ?e:m'::
TO:
FROM:Research and Legislation Staff, Nugent ¥\ ~ tJ R (J" -- U -() 9 -0 I
DATE:August 21, 2009
SUBJECT: Three Sets of Proposed Rules of the Public Utilities Commission:
ID AP A 31.11.01 - Safety & Accident Reportg Riles for Utilities Regulated by the
Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Docket #31-1101-0901);
\ 31.21.01 - Customer Relations Rules for Gas, Electrc & Water Public
Utilities Reguated by the Idaho Public Utilities Commssion (The
Utility Customer Relations Riles) (Docket #31-2101..0901);
31.21.02 - Inormation to Customers of Gas, Electrc & Water Public
Utilties (Docket #31-2102-0901) (Chapter Repeal).
The Public Utilities Commission is proposing to promilgate thee sets of proposed ries. One set
deals with safety and accident reporting rules for utilities reguated by the Commission, one with
customer relations ries for gas, electrc and water public utilities regilated by the commission
and one with information to customers of gas, electric and water public utilities.
The accident reporting ries incorporate 2009 changes to the International Fuel Gas Code and the
International Fuel Gas Code. The Commssion is also proposing to adopt 2009 Federal
Reguations dealing with pipeline safety. The Commssion is also proposing to amend its
rules relating to reportng accidents. The proposed changes would require utilities to submit
wrtten accident reports withi twenty-one (21) days from when they sustain damage to their
facilities in excess of $200,000 or when a member of the public incurs propert damages in
excess of $200,000 as a result of contact with utility operating propert. Damage resulting from
motor vehicle accidents is exempt from the damage reporting rie.
The customer relations rules proposed to relocate thee ries to a different portion of
the
admistrative code. These rules also posed to require that water utilities with more than five
Mie Nugent, Manager
Research & Legilation
Cathy Holland-Smith, Manager
Budget & Policy Analysis
Don H. Berg, Manager
Legislative Audits
Glenn Harris, Manager
Information Technology
Statehouse, P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0054
Tel: [phone]
ww.legislature.idaho.gov
c'
thousand customers provide consumption data on each customer's bil comparng actual
consumption in the curent biling period with the corresponding biling period in the previous
year. The PUC is also proposing to repeal a block of ries relating to information to customers
of gas, electric and water public utilties after three of the rules are transferred elsewhere.
The thrd set of rules proposes to repeal the same set of ries "After transfer of the ries is
complete" tht the second set of proposed ries accomplishes. This set of ries appears to be
duplicative with the last provision of rie 2 and appears to do virtally the same thng. It seems
like we should be receiving one or the other, but not both.
It appears the proposed ries have been promu1gated within the scope of statutory authority
granted to the public utilties commission.
cc: Idaho Public Utilties Commission
Jean D. Jewell ~
Donald L. Howell, II