Inflation Reduction Act
Final Rule Imposes Expansive New Requirements for Liquid Pipelines
PHMSA recently finalized a rule that significantly revises certain aspects of liquid pipeline safety regulation under 49 CFR Part 195. Nearly nine years in the making, the final rule is intended to address PHMSA and NTSB accident investigation findings from...
PHMSA Updates its Latest Enforcement Tool: Emergency Order Final Rule
On October 1, 2019, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA or the Agency) issued three long awaited final rules . This post addresses the Agency’s final rule on Emergency Orders , a significant new tool in PHMSA’s pipeline...
PHMSA Publishes Long-Awaited Final Rules
Tomorrow’s Federal Register will include three final rules published by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) that have been years in the making: (1) Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements...
Mexico's Agenda for 2020 in Energy and Infrastructure
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico's president recently issued the general criteria of economic policy for the country's 2020 annual budget. The document describes several undertakings to trigger economic growth in Mexico in the upcoming year. One of the main items...
The Final ESA Rule: "Taking" Stock of the Changes and Challenges
The Endangered Species Act is a key, and sometimes controversial, environmental law with significant implications for energy and infrastructure development. The federal government recently issued final rules that change, in certain respects, implementation of the law. This webinar will explore...
Recent Florida News: Toll Road P3s and Autonomous Vehicles
1. Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (“M-CORES”) - Three potential new Florida Public-Private Partnerships (“P3”). On May 17, 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law SB 7068 (the “Bill”), directing the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) to create...
An Alternative Structure for Certain P3 Projects – The 63-20 Financing
With all of the talk about the need for infrastructure legislation, public-private partnerships (or “P3s”) are receiving increased national attention. What exactly constitutes a P3 is an ever-evolving question, and the answer you get often depends upon whom you ask...
Pipelaws Team Authors Article on the Pipeline Safety Act for Law360
Pipeline partners Catherine Little, Bob Hogfoss and Annie Cook authored an article published in Law360 on the Pipeline Safety Act reauthorization legislation currently in the U.S. House and Senate. The current authorization of federal pipeline safety laws and funding of...
New UAE Economic Substance Regulations Issued
On 30 April 2019, the UAE Cabinet issued the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 31 of 2019 concerning Economic Substance Regulations in the UAE (“Regulations”). Why has the UAE issued the Regulations? The implementation of the Regulations is a result...
DOJ Changes Criminal Policy to Recognize Antitrust Compliance Programs
In a major policy shift, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice recently announced that it will now credit companies for effective corporate antitrust compliance programs in making charging decisions and penalty recommendations. In conjunction with this change, the...
Public Entity Construction Contracts: The Pivotal Dispute Provisions
Each year public entities spend billions of dollars on construction projects. As a result of these projects, time-consuming and costly complications such as construction project delay claims, defective workmanship, force majeure claims, lien issues, insurance issues, jurisdiction, payment issues and...
DOT Issues Pipeline Safety Act Reauthorization Proposal
The Department of Transportation (DOT) released a legislative proposal to Congress on June 3, 2019, to reauthorize the federal Pipeline Safety Act (PSA or the Act) and continue funding the federal agency charged with implementing it, the Pipeline and Hazardous...
Gas Pipeline Safety Rule Clearing Final Hurdle: Operators Should Prepare
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is close to finalizing a rule applicable to the safety of natural gas transmission pipelines that has been nearly eight years in the making. Both Congress and the industry have urged PHMSA...
Pipeline Safety Settlements: Time to Take a Page from Hazmat?
With an increased interest in the resolving disputes efficiently and avoiding litigation where possible, the time may be right for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to clarify the process for settlement of pipeline safety compliance issues, whether...
New Executive Order Attempts to Streamline Presidential Permits
The White House issued a new Executive Order (EO) on April 10, 2019 intended to ‘revise the process for the development and issuance of Presidential Permits’ for certain cross border energy infrastructure. The EO limits the opportunity and timeframe for...