3. Energy Division Recommendations

In its May 20, 2002 report, Energy Division recommends the following:

· West Coast Gas should be allocated $2,240 of the SBX1 5 CARE monies for the outreach costs associated with initiating a CARE program. These costs include developing and printing customer CARE application forms, mailing program information and installing a telephone voice-message system to give CARE information when customers are on hold.

· Alpine Natural Gas should be allocated $2,895 of the SBX1 5 CARE monies for the outreach costs associated with mailing program information, printing CARE notices on bills and printing a CARE outreach flyer, developing and printing customer CARE application forms and installing a voice-message system.

· Alpine Natural Gas should be allocated $3,000 of the SBX1 5 CARE monies to provide for the subsidy of any of its customers that qualify for and receive the CARE discount.

· Mountain Utilities should not be required to develop a CARE program at this time.

· The economic demographics of Mountain Utilities' service area, based on reported census information, should be researched in Phase II of the Commission's Needs Assessment Study. The Commission should evaluate the results to determine if Mountain Utilities should be required to offer a CARE program in the future or if such demographic information should be researched periodically in the future.

· West Coast Gas and Alpine Natural Gas should file advice letters seeking approval for their CARE program tariffs and customer CARE application forms.

· West Coast Gas and Alpine Natural Gas should submit monthly CARE reports to Energy Division.

· Ethnic demographics based on recorded census information in each of the SMJU's service areas should be researched in Phase II of the upcoming Needs Assessment Study. Based on the results, the Commission should determine if CARE outreach materials distributed by the SMJU's should be required in multi-lingual formats.

· West Coast Gas and Alpine Natural Gas should provide quarterly notices about the CARE program on a forward facing page of their customers' bills.

· West Coast Gas and Alpine Natural Gas should develop CARE participation goals as required by AB (X1) 3.

· West Coast Gas and Alpine Natural Gas should offer a LIEE program appropriate to the needs of their low-income customers and work with Energy Division to develop such a program.

· Alpine Natural Gas and West Coast Gas should file applications for approval of their post-2002 low-income program plans, including a proposal to establish a balancing account for CARE program administrative and subsidy costs, if they do not already have one.