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State Affairs approves PUC's amended pole-attachment rule after administrator describes hybrid compromise
Summary
The Senate State Affairs Committee approved Docket No. 31-2701-2501, a pending Idaho Public Utilities Commission rule on pole attachments described by PUC Administrator Taylor Thomas as a hybrid compromise intended to balance utility and FCC concerns; the committee passed the docket by voice vote after discussion revealed no large-landowner feedback was received.
The Senate State Affairs Committee voted to approve Docket No. 31-2701-2501, a pending rule governing pole attachments, after a presentation from Taylor Thomas, Administrator of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, on Jan. 28.
Thomas told the committee the Commission’s role is to ensure Idahoans receive "safe, reliable, and reasonably-priced utility services" and said the pending rule incorporates stakeholder feedback and creates a hybrid that would allow compromise between electric utilities and the Federal Communications Commission. "The purpose of this pending rule was to incorporate stakeholder feedback and create a hybrid rule that would allow compromise between electric utilities and the Federal Communications Commission," Thomas said and then provided a detailed breakdown of the proposed changes.
Sen. Shippy asked whether large landowners had provided feedback and how the Commission arrived at the compromise; Thomas replied they had not received input from large landowners and therefore did not factor such feedback into the final language. Sen. Toews moved to approve the docket and Sen. Den Hartog seconded; the motion carried by voice vote.
The committee’s approval advances the pending rule in the administrative process; the minutes record the presentation, questions, and the committee’s voice approval.
