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50 <br />2003 Xcel Metro Emissions Reduction Plan -Audit. The SRA was a signatory to a plan <br />endorsed by the Governor's Office and approved by the Public Utilities Commission in <br />December 2003. The Plan will have a significant impact on Metro Area pollution reduction as <br />well as a reduction in the need for additional transmission upgrades and sites. <br />2003 Study of Municipalization of Electric Utility Service. The SRA funded a review by a <br />local utility consulting firm study of non -municipal utility cities acquiring electric facilities and <br />serving some or all customers within the municipality. This issue may have significant cost <br />saving potential for cities and their ratepayers, depending on future investor-owned utility rates. <br />2003 Gas and Electric Franchise Agreements and Fees. The renewed interest in franchises <br />and franchise fees is an area of expertise of the SRA. It has assisted many of its member cities in <br />establishing franchises and franchise fees. <br />1999-2002 Right -of -Way Management. The SRA participated significantly with the League of <br />Minnesota Cities and staff from Minneapolis and St. Paul in developing richt-of-wale islg ation, <br />right-of-way rules promulgated by the PUC and model right-of-way anagement ordinances <br />based on the 1997 legislation and 1999 PUC right-of-way management rules. <br />OTHER NOTABLE PAST SRA ACHIEVEMENTS <br />1998 612 Area Code Split along Municipal Boundaries. The SRA was the original and <br />primary advocate of area code boundaries drawn along municipal boundaries ("952", "763", <br />"651"), rather than telephone wire centers for the 612 area code split. Adoption of this position <br />by the Minnesota PUC was the first of its type in the United States. <br />1997-1999 Right -of -Way Legislation and Task Force Participation. The SRA played an <br />important role in assisting the League of Minnesota Cities in the 1997 comprehensive legislation <br />governing telecommunication providers' use of municipal right-of-way. The SRA also actively <br />participated in the preparation of the model right-of-way ordinance that arose out of this <br />legislation. <br />1996 Model Wireless Communication Lease Agreement. The SRA provided primary drafting <br />contributions to a League of Minnesota Cities Model Site Lease Agreement for PCS/cellular <br />communication antennas. This Model has been distributed to Minnesota cities for use in <br />negotiation on site lease agreements. <br />1995 Updated Model Gas and Electric Utility Franchises. The SRA and the League drafted <br />model utility franchise ordinances. The increasing deregulation in both the electric and gas utility <br />industries necessitated revisions to the previous model franchise ordinances approved by the <br />SRA. <br />1995 Minnegasco Fixed Residential Customer Charge Increase Denied. The PUC denied <br />Minnegasco's request for an increase in the residential customer fixed monthly gas charge from <br />$5 to $6 per month. The SRA was the sole party to argue that Minnegasco must make a greater <br />355483v11MS SU160-3 4 <br />