6. Comments on the Proposed Decision

The proposed decision of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in this matter was mailed to the parties in accordance with Pub. Util. Code § 311 and Rule 14.2(a) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. In accordance with the schedule adopted in the Assigned Commissioner's Ruling dated November 18, 2009, one round of comments on the Proposed Decision was filed on December 14, 2009. No reply comments were scheduled.

The shortening of the review and comment period on the proposed decision was requested by each of the utilities, by motions dated October 14, 2009, in order to enable revised rates to take effect on an expedited basis on January 1, 2010. Pursuant to Rule 14.6(c)(9) the Commission may shorten the period for public review and comment on proposed decisions where the public interest in adopting a decision an earlier decision outweighs the public interest in having a full 30-day review and comment. Given the nature of SB 695 as urgency legislation, we find that such a shortening of the review and comment period for the proposed decision is warranted here. In accordance with the urgency clause of SB 695, the resulting rate changes can be implemented expeditiously on January 1, 2010, thereby beginning to rectify the rate disparities that have developed since the Tiers 1 and 2 rate cap was imposed in 2001. The review and comment period for the proposed decision was accordingly shortened, with only one concurrent round of opening comments, as incorporated in the schedule adopted in Assigned Commissioner's Ruling dated November 18, 2009.