4. Proceeding Category and Need for Hearing

Rule 7.1(d) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules) specifies that an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) will preliminarily determine the category of the proceeding and the need for hearing. Pursuant to Rule 7.1(e), and as with earlier RA proceedings, we determine that this proceeding is ratesetting as defined in Rule 1.3(e). While we expect that the issues may be resolved through comments and workshops without the need for evidentiary hearings, a final determination on the need for hearings will be made in the assigned Commissioner's scoping memo.