III. Procedural History

The Assigned Commissioner and Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issued a January 14, 2002 Scoping Memo and Ruling (Scoping Memo). The Scoping Memo confirmed the Commission's preliminary categorization of this proceeding in Resolution ALJ-176-3101 as ratesetting, with hearings needed.

The Commission held public participation hearings on April 23 in Guerneville and on April 24 in Lucerne. It held evidentiary hearings from May 27 through May 29, 2003. In addition to Cal Water, the Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA) and intervenors Jeffrey Young and Marcos Pareas participated in the hearings. On June 27, 2003, Young filed a request for oral argument before the Commission but subsequently withdrew this request. The proceeding was submitted on November 12, 2003, with the filing of additional rate information as requested by the ALJ.