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Some Modest Suggestions For Improving Public Utility Rate Proceedings, Roger C. Cramton

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

The agencies regulating public utilities are under attack as ineffective and inefficient. Professor Cramton here discusses the procedural impediments to efficient and coherent regulation on both the state and federal levels. To improve administrative procedure in this area, Professor Cramton recommends retention of the adversary form of rate proceedings as a useful truth testing device, wider use of hearing examiners, adoption of a system of written presentation of evidence, and placing greater personal decisional responsibility on agency heads.