NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE ONGOING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS REGULATIONS OF THE REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA
The REGULATORY COMMISSION of ALASKA (Commission) proposes, in Docket R-15-004, to adopt regulations in Title 3 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with the ongoing reporting requirements of regulated utilities. Specifically, the Commission is considering revisions to reporting requirements of utilities that provide: natural gas, provisionally certificated water and wastewater, refuse, and telecommunications (local exchange and interexchange) service. Reporting requirement revisions for electric utilities will be issued for public comment at a future date.
Regarding natural gas utilities, the Commission is considering revisions to (1) the reporting of inspection and maintenance plans, (2) the procedure for the notification of natural gas incidents, (3) the submission of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration reports to the Commission, and (4) the publication of contact information. The Commission is also considering correcting reference errors in the existing regulations.
Regarding provisionally certificated water and wastewater utilities, the Commission is considering removal of the requirement for annual financial filings to be made in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts.
Regarding refuse utilities, the Commission is considering clarifying the procedure by which a refuse utility that is exempt from economic regulation based upon its annual revenues provides ongoing confirmation that it does not exceed the revenue threshold for economic regulation. Economic regulation means regulation of matters concerning a utility's rates and charges, quality of service, management practices, and customer complaints. The Commission is also considering a procedure by which a refuse utility that was exempt from economic regulation transitions to economic regulation after its revenues exceed the prescribed threshold.
Regarding telecommunications utilities, the Commission is considering revisions to the reporting requirements related to (1)Telecommunications Relay Service, (2) quality of service standards including disruptions and outages of service, (3) capital programs and planning statements, (4) billable minutes thresholds for registered intrastate interexchange carriers, and (5) facilities mapping for intrastate interexchange carriers.
The Commission is also considering eliminating reports requiring (1) monthly summaries of answering time studies for operator services, (2) test results of quality of service surveillance reports, (3) traffic data reports of intrastate interexchange carriers, (4) plant investment and expenses for an intrastate interexchange carrier designated as a carrier of last resort, and (5) incidents of slamming. The Commission is also considering eliminating certain reporting requirements for private pay telephone service providers and directory assistance providers.
The Commission is also considering revising (1) the reporting requirements of intrastate interexchange carriers related to rate parity, (2) the annual reports of eligible telecommunications carriers, and (3) the requirements for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier.
You may comment on the proposed regulation, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska at 701 W. 8th Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, Alaska 99501. Additionally, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska will accept comments via its website at:
https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx.
Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System, by accessing this notice on the system and using the “comment” link. Initial comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., on January 22, 2016, and should reference Docket R-15-004. Reply comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., on February 12, 2016, and should also reference Docket R-15-004.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Joyce McGowan at (907) 276-6222, toll-free at 1-800-390-2782, TTY (907) 276-4533, or via electronic mail to rca.mail@alaska.gov, no later than January 18, 2016, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Since this is a regulation proceeding, commenters are not required to serve their comments on the other entities set out on the service list of this notice. Interested persons may request from the Commission copies of the comments filed in this proceeding. For a copy of the proposed regulation changes and related material, contact the Commission’s Records & Filings Section at the above address or at 907-276-6222 or go to: http://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/home.aspx. Those seeking to obtain the materials at the website may select “All Open Rule-making Dockets” under Top Searches, and choose Matter Number “R-15-004.”
After the public comment period ends, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulations may be different from that of the proposed regulations. YOU SHOULD COMMENT DURING THE TIME ALLOWED IF YOUR INTERESTS COULD BE AFFECTED. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.
Statutory Authority: AS 42.05.141; AS 42.05.151
Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 42.05.141; AS 42.05.145; AS 42.05.151; AS 42.05.271; AS 42.05.291; AS 42.05.301; AS 42.05.361; AS 42.05.381; AS 42.05.391; AS 42.05.431; AS 42.05.451; AS 42.05.501; AS 42.05.711; AS 42.05.800;
Fiscal Information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
DATED at Anchorage, Alaska, this 23rd day of December, 2015.
REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA
T.W. Patch
Chairman
ADDITIONAL REGULATION NOTICE INFORMATION
(AS 44.62.190(g))
1. Adopting agency: Regulatory Commission of Alaska
2. General subject of regulation: Ongoing Reporting Obligations
3. Citation of regulation (may be grouped): 3 AAC 51.030, 3 AAC 52.010, 3 AAC 52.020, 3 AAC 52.030, 3 AAC 52.060, 3 AAC 52.070, 3 AAC 52.075, 3 AAC 52.080, 3 AAC 52.300, 3 AAC 52.320, 3 AAAC 52.330, 3 AAC 52.358, 3 AAC 52.372, 3 AAC 52.380, 3 AAC 52.381, 3 AAC 52.390, 3 AAC 52.550, 3 AAC 52.560, 3 AAC 52.724, 3 AAC 53.190, 3 AAC 53.410, 3 AAC 53.460, 3 AAC 53.625, 3 AAC 53.710, 3 AAC 53.840, and 3 AAC 53.890
4. Department of Law file number, if any: Not yet assigned
5. Reason for the proposed action:
( ) Compliance with federal law
( ) Compliance with new or changed state statute
( ) Compliance with court order
( ) Development of program standards
( X) Other (identify): Update to ongoing reporting requirements for Natural Gas, Provisionally Certificated Water and Sewer, Refuse, and Telecommunications utilities.
6. Appropriation/Allocation: N/A
7. Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding (in thousands of dollars):
Initial Year Subsequent
FY 2016 Years
Operating Cost $ 0 $ 0
Capital Cost $ 0 $ 0
1002 Federal receipts $ 0 $ 0
1003 General fund match $ 0 $ 0
1004 General fund $ 0 $ 0
1005 General fund/
program $ 0 $ 0
Other (identify) $ 0 $ 0
8. The name of the contact person for the regulation:
Name: Richard Gazaway
Title: Advisory Section Manager
Address: 701 W. Eighth Avenue, Suite 300
Anchorage, AK 99501
Telephone: 907-263-2164
E-mail address: richard.gazaway@alaska.gov
9. The origin of the proposed action:
__X_ Staff of state agency
_____ Federal government
_____ General public
_____ Petition for regulation change
_____ Other (identify)
10. Date:_December 23, 2015_ Prepared by:
[signature]
Name (printed) T.W. Patch
Title (printed): Chairman
Telephone: 907-276-6222