WSR 97-17-047

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION

COMMISSION

[Filed August 14, 1997, 4:35 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Update of commission rules in chapter 480-04 WAC, Public access to information and records, chapter 480-09 WAC, Procedure, and chapter 480-11 WAC, SEPA procedures.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 80.01.040, 34.05.010 and other sections in chapter 34.05 RCW, RCW 42.17.250.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The commission periodically reviews its organizational and procedural rules for continuing accuracy; to respond to problems or questions that have arisen; and to make changes that might be needed to forestall potential problems. The commission's goal in this proceeding is to improve the operation and understanding of these chapters. The commission also asks commenters to consider the standards set out in Executive Order 97-02 and comment upon the rules' need; effectiveness and efficiency; clarity; intent and statutory authority; coordination; cost; and fairness.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; and interested persons will be asked for suggestions and comments, and invited to participate in at least one workshop for the purpose of considering proposed changes.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Commission staff has prepared a list of possible questions, and suggestions for possible rule changes that are available from the commission record center upon request or on the commission's web site at http://www.washington.edu/wutc/. This list is neither final nor exclusive and any suggestions on listed sections or any others are invited, particularly in the form of written comments.

Interested persons may contact the Secretary, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250, (360) 753-6451, FAX (360) 586-1150. Persons may submit comments, as specified below, or may ask to be included on the commission's list of interested persons for the proceeding. Questions may be addressed to Bob Wallis at (360) 664-1142 or e-mail bobw@wutc.wa.gov.

Written Comments: Written comments in response to the CR-101 from persons interested in the subject matter of this proposed rule making may be filed with the commission secretary, referencing Docket No. A-970591, not later than Tuesday, September 9, 1997. All commenters are asked, but not required, to file an original and ten copies of their written comments. The commission also requests, but does not require, that comments be provided on a 3 1/2 inch IBM formatted high-density disk, in WordPerfect version 5.1, 6.0 or 6.1, labeled with the docket number of this proceeding and the commenter's name and type of software used. The commission may offer additional opportunities to provide written comments. Interested persons may file additional written comments in response to any such invitation. Interested persons may also attend and participate in the workshop described below and in any other workshop that may be scheduled. The commission will provide written notice of any additional preproposal workshops to all commenters and to any other persons specifically asking to receive notice in this rule-making proceeding.

Notice of Workshop: A workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 1997, beginning at 1:30 p.m., in Room 108 of the Commission's Headquarters Office, 1300 South Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA. Persons who intend to attend this meeting are requested to advise the Commission Record Center no later than Tuesday, September 9, 1997, that they will be attending, so that alternative room arrangements may be made if attendance is larger than the capacity of the scheduled room.

August 14, 1997

Terrence Stapleton

for Steve McLellan