HomeMy Public PortalAboutExhibit MIEC 94 - First Discovery Request of Intervenor MIECExhibit MIEC 94
Wastewater and Stormwater Rate Change Proceeding — 2015
First Discovery Request of Intervenors MIEC
2. Referring to Exhibit MSD-1, Table 4-7 — Wastewater Capital Improvement and
Replacement Program, please provide a description of any change in the Projected Needs in FY
2015 and FY 2016 filed in this Rate Change Proposal versus the amounts budgeted for FY 2015
and FY 2016 filed in the 2011 Rate Change Proposal. Please provide a detailed explanation for
changes to budgeted items.
RESPONSE:
3. Referring to Exhibit MSD-1, Table 4-8 — Capital Improvement and Replacement
Program Financing Plan, please provide a variance analysis for each line on the table with
projected sources and projected uses of funds versus actual sources and uses of funds from fiscal
years 2011 through 2014 in electronic format with all formulas intact. Please provide a detailed
explanation for the difference in projected versus actual for each line item.
RESPONSE:
4. For each category of capital improvement program, please identify the long-term
capital improvement program for each category which is needed to respond to the EPA mandated
programs as part of the Consent Decree agreement between MSD and the EPA. For each system
retrofit required by the EPA, please identify the following:
a. Planned capital budget by year up until the retrofits are completed.
b. Identify the time period MSD has available to make the system retrofits to
remain in compliance with its agreement with the EPA.
c. Please explain MSD's system plan in the event it must extend the capital
program in order to successfully comply with all system improvements and modifications to
comply with the EPA mandates.
RESPONSE:
5. Please provide a detailed description of MSD's management plan for increased
capital expenditures in FY17 through FY20. Please provide a detailed description of MSD's
plans for the following:
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Wastewater and Stormwater Rate Change Proceeding — 2015
First Discovery Request of Intervenors MIEC
a. Assurance that it is able to enter into qualified contracts to meet an
increased construction program as forecasted by MSD.
b. MSD's plan to ensure that it has qualified inspectors and engineers on
staff to ensure contractors are complying with the detailed specifications of the system retrofits.
c. A complete description of performance failure requirements MSD is
requiring on contractors to ensure that any system improvements that are not designed according
to MSD specifications will be the responsibility of contract failure and not MSD and its
customers.
d. Please provide an estimate of the maximum capital program that MSD can
effectively manage each year.
e. Please identify the accounting standards MSD will put in place to ensure
that the expenditures it makes to contractors and third -party vendors meet those vendors'
requirements to make system improvements and retrofits in line with MSD's need for such
improvements to comply with EPA mandates.
RESPONSE:
6. Referring to Exhibit MSD-1, Table 4-8 — Capital Improvement and Replacement
Program Financing Plan, please provide a variance analysis of the projected sources and uses of
funds in FY 2015 and FY 2016 filed in this Rate Change Proposal versus the projected sources
and uses of funds in FY 2015 and FY 2016 filed in the 2011 Rate Change Proposal in electronic
format with all formulas intact. Please provide a detailed explanation for each line item.
RESPONSE:
7. Please provide all credit reports pertaining to MSD issued by Standard & Poor's,
Moody's and Fitch over the last two years.
RESPONSE:
8. At the Technical Conference on April 8, 2015, Mr. Richard Unverferth testified
that contractors are subject to a prequalification process to demonstrate that they have the
capability to perform the work for which they are bidding. Please identify and provide copies of
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Wastewater and Stormwater Rate Change Proceeding — 2015
First Discovery Request of Intervenors MIEC
the District's contractor prequalification policies and procedures, including, but not limited to,
the District's policies and procedures for reviewing and confirming information submitted to by
contractors.
RESPONSE:
9. Please identify the interest rates for current senior and subordinated bonds, as well
as the projected interest rates for future senior and subordinated bonds.
RESPONSE:
10. Please identify whether and how MSD will ensure that, if the actual annual spend
for FY2017-2020 is below the projected spend, any difference will be used to accelerate projects
required under the Consent Decree.
RESPONSE:
11. At the Technical Conference on April 8, 2015, Mr. William Stannard indicated
that there is additional supporting data and analysis on which the Vertex forecasts included in the
Rate Proposal at Appendices 7.1.2 and 7.1.3 were based. Please provide a copy of such
additional supporting data and analyses.
RESPONSE:
12. At the Technical Conference on April 8, 2015, and in his prepared testimony, Mr.
William Stannard indicated he relied on his experience with other urban utilities throughout the
United states to support his conclusions on projections for number of customers and volume of
flow per customer. Please provide copies of all utility forecasts and trends in wastewater flows
for the other urban utilities that were considered in reaching this conclusion.
RESPONSE:
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Wastewater and Stormwater Rate Change Proceeding — 2015
First Discovery Request of Intervenors MIEC
13. Please provide an explanation of how costs for common wastewater and storm
water costs are allocated between MSD's wastewater and storm water costs of service.
RESPONSE:
Respectfully submitted,
BRYAN CAVE LLP
By:
Dina M. Vuylsteke, #42419
Brandon W. Neuschafer, #53232
211 N. Broadway, Suite 3600
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
Telephone: (314) 259-2543 (Diana)
Telephone: (314) 259-2317 (Brandon)
Facsimile: (314) 259-2020
dmvuylsteke@bryancave.com
bwneuschafer@bryancave.com
ATTORNEYS FOR MIEC
Dated: April 10, 2015
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First Discovery Request of Intervenors MIEC
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
The undersigned certifies that a copy of the foregoing was sent by electronic transmission
to the following on this loth day of April, 2015.
Ms. Janice Fenton
Office Associate Senior
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
2350 Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
jfenton@stlmsd.com
Ms. Susan Myers
General Counsel
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
2350 Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
smyers@stlmsd.com
Mr. John Fox Arnold
Lashly & Baer, P.C.
714 Locust Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
j farnold@lashlybaer.com
Ms. Lisa O. Stump
Lashly & Baer, P.C.
714 Locust Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
lostump@lashlybaer.com
Mr. Brad Goss
Smith Amundsen, LLC
120 South Central Avenue, Suite 700
St. Louis, MO 63105-1794
bgoss@salawus.com
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