Subject of Possible Rule Making: Examine the need to reorganize, revise, repeal, and adopt rules governing the conduct of business before the commission, including rules governing formal proceedings as presently codified in chapter 480-07 WAC, Procedural rules.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 80.01.040(4) and 34.05.020.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The commission repealed and replaced its former procedural rules, chapter 480-09 WAC, on January 1, 2004, and adopted new chapter 480-07 WAC, Procedural rules, to be effective on that same date. Since the new rules became effective, commission staff and persons who conduct business before the commission have identified and suggested discrete changes to certain rules and the possible need for new rules that could ease compliance and promote efficiency in the conduct of business before the commission.

     Process for Developing New Rule:      Agency study; and the commission will schedule one or more workshops with representatives of affected constituencies in a manner designed to develop consensus among affected interests regarding any rule proposal. The commission will ask for initial written comments by August 26, 2005, and may provide the opportunity for additional comments, if needed.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting the Secretary, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, P.O. Box 47250, 1300 South Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA 98504-7250, phone (360) 664-1174, fax (360) 586-1150.

     WRITTEN COMMENTS: Written comments may be submitted to the commission at the address given above and should be filed with the commission no later than August, 26, 2005.

     Electronic copies. The commission requests that comments be provided in electronic format to enhance public access, for ease of providing comments, to reduce the need for paper copies, and to facilitate quotations from the comments. Comments may be submitted by electronic mail to the commission's records center at records@wutc.wa.gov. Please include:

•     The docket number of this proceeding (A-050802)

•     The commenting party's name

•     The title and date of the comment or comments

     An alternative method for submitting comments may be by mailing/delivering an electronic copy on a 3 1/2 inch, IBM-formatted, high-density disk, in .pdf Adobe Acrobat format or in Word 97 or later. Include all of the information requested above. The commission will post on the commission's web site all comments that are provided in electronic format. The web site is located at http://www.wutc.wa.gov/050802. If you are unable to file your comments electronically or to submit them on a disk, the commission will always accept a paper document.

     Opportunity for further comment is anticipated. Information about the schedule and other aspects of the rule making, including comments, will be posted on the commission's web site as it becomes available. If you wish to receive further information on this rule making you may (1) call the commission's records center at (360) 664-1234, (2) e-mail the commission at <records@wutc.wa.gov>, or (3) mail written comments to the address above to the attention of Carole J. Washburn, Secretary. When contacting the commission, please refer to Docket No. A-050802 to ensure that you are placed on the appropriate service list. Questions may be addressed to Dennis Moss (360) 664-1164 or e-mail at <dmoss@wutc.wa.gov>.

July 15, 2005

C. Robert Wallace

for Carole J. Washburn

Executive Secretary

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office