Background

On October 5, 2006, the Commission opened this Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) to consider changes to the Commission`s application of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to telecommunications utilities under its jurisdiction. The stated goals of this OIR are to develop rules and policies that will:

· Ensure that the Commission's practices comply with the current requirements and policies of CEQA;

· Promote the development of an advanced telecommunications infrastructure, particularly with regard to facilities that provide broadband facilities; and

· To make certain that the application of CEQA in the area of telecommunications does not cause undue harm to competition, particularly intermodal competition.

This proceeding involves consideration of a number of complex issues relevant to the Commission's application of CEQA to telecommunications providers.