PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following proposed rule:
Proposed Action:
The Public Service Commission is considering a request filed by New York Water Service Corporation to make various changes in the rates, charges, rules and regulations contained in its tariff schedule P.S.C. No. 12—Water.
Statutory authority:
Public Service Law, section 89-c(10)
Subject:
Water rates and charges.
Purpose:
To increase NYWS' base rates by $6 million, including the roll-in of approximately $3 million now paid through surcharges.
*There could be requests to reschedule the hearings. Notification of any subsequent scheduling changes will be available at the DPS Website (www.dps.state.ny.us) under Case No. 09-W-0237SP1.
Interpreter Service:
Interpreter services will be made available to hearing impaired persons, at no charge, upon written request submitted within reasonable time prior to the scheduled public hearing. The written request must be addressed to the agency representative designated in the paragraph below.
Accessibility:
All public hearings have been scheduled at places reasonably accessible to persons with a mobility impairment.
Substance of proposed rule:
On March 9, 2009, New York Water Service Corporation (NYWS or the company) filed a request to increase its annual base rate revenues by approximately $6 million or 27%. The effect on customers’ bills is approximately one-half of 27%. The company also proposes to implement a surcharge mechanism to recover the cost of a new storage facility; this would increase revenues by approximately $262,000 (.93%). In addition, NYWS proposes to switch its customers from bi-monthly to monthly billing. The company states that the principal reasons for the rate request are increased costs of operation, including property taxes and payroll and benefits; capital costs associated with additions to its water plant; and, increased depreciation expense. On April 7, 2009, the Commission initially suspended the effective date of the filing to August 5, 2009. NYWS serves approximately 45,000 customers in the communities of Merrick, North Merrick, Bellmore, North Bellmore, Wantagh, Seaford and portions of Levittown within the Town of Hempstead and Massapequa in the Town of Oyster Bay, in Nassau County. The Commission may approve or reject the company’s proposals in whole or in part.
Text of proposed rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained by filing a Document Request Form (F-96) located on our website http://www.dps.state.ny.us/f96dir.htm. For questions, contact:
Leann Ayer, Public Service Commission, 3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350, (518) 486-2655, email: leann_ayer@dps.state.ny.us
Data, views or arguments may be submitted to:
Jaclyn A. Brilling, Secretary, Public Service Commission, 3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350, (518) 474-6530, email: jaclyn_brilling@dps.state.ny.us
Public comment will be received until:
October 9, 2009.
Regulatory Impact Statement, Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, Rural Area Flexibility Analysis and Job Impact Statement
Statements and analyses are not submitted with this notice because the proposed rule is within the definition contained in section 102(2)(a)(ii) of the State Administrative Procedure Act.
