HCR 8 - COOK INLET GAS GATHERING SYSTEM COMPLAINT CHAIR KOHRING [announced that the first order of business would be] HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8, Encouraging the Regulatory Commission of Alaska expeditiously to complete its investigation of the Cook Inlet Gas Gathering System. CHAIR KOHRING noted that the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) has developed a preliminary decision regarding the Cook Inlet Gas Gathering System (CIGGS), thus rendering HCR 8 unnecessary. He asked Ms. Giard to comment on the preliminary decision. 5:14:01 PM KATE GIARD, Chair, Commissioner, Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA), Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development (DCCED), relayed that in response to a complaint filed by Agrium U.S., Inc., in October 2004, the RCA initiated a process by which to determine whether CIGGS was in violation of AS 42.05 - the Alaska Public Utilities Regulatory Act - and AS 42.06 - the Pipeline Act. The RCA, in late March of 2005, determined that Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) and Marathon Oil Company - as owners of CIGGS - were public utilities and thus qualified to be regulated under AS 42.05, and then immediately exempted those two companies from RCA regulation for the remainder of the pleading cycle. Ms. Giard recommended that members read the RCA's order on this issue, particularly pages 18-21, and noted that the RCA has also issued an order that schedules a prehearing conference for May 4, 2005, at which the issues of settlement procedures and consolidating the pleading schedule will be discussed. [HCR 8 was held over.]