Inflation Reduction Act
FERC Asserts Right to Impose Retroactive Surcharges
Historically, Sections 205 [1] and 206 [2] of the Federal Power Act (“FPA”) have been viewed as authorizing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) to order refunds when a rate has been suspended and placed in effect...
Regulatory Rollbacks Continue for Energy Industry
In the past few weeks, the Trump Administration’s Department of Interior (DOI) has taken significant steps to roll back several environmental policies and/or rules affecting the energy industry. On December 22, DOI issued a memorandum interpreting the scope of the...
All I want for Christmas is … regulatory certainty?
Last week, PHMSA’s oil and gas pipeline technical advisory committees convened to review and discuss significant pending rulemakings and regulatory reform initiatives, among other topics. At the same time, the White House touted its deregulation efforts, including the purported elimination...
Advisory Committee Meetings May Add Insight to Policy Priorities
Oil and gas pipeline technical advisory committee meetings will be held on December 13-15 in Washington, D.C. The agenda covers updates on PHMSA pipeline safety programs and policy issues. The oil and gas peer review committees, comprised of federal and...
FERC Rejects Marketing Affiliate Petition
Can a marketing affiliate of an oil pipeline purchase transportation at the filed tariff rate and then re-sell this capacity at a lower, non-public rate without running afoul of the Interstate Commerce Act’s prohibition on rebates? On November 22, 2017...
Congress and DOJ Consider Existing Protections as Pipeline Sabotage Increases
In response to questions from lawmakers on whether federal law adequately provides for the prosecution of “criminal activity against infrastructure,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently committed to “vigorously” prosecute those who damage “critical energy infrastructure in violation of federal...
CFTC Annual Enforcement Update
On November 22, 2017, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) released its annual enforcement report for fiscal year 2017. As in previous years, this year’s report highlights the agency’s continued commitment to enforcement and aggressive pursuit of those viewed as...
FERC Annual Enforcement Update
FERC Annual Enforcement Update On November 16, 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) released the Office of Enforcement’s (“OE”) annual report on enforcement activities (“ Annual Report ”) for fiscal year 2017 (“FY 2017”). Although the...
Deregulation at DOT: Direction Unknown
A year ago, the oil and natural gas industry was preparing comments and responses to several expansive proposed rules issued by the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). With the advent of the Trump Administration...
Barclays Market Manipulation Case Settles for $105 Million, What We Learned and What’s Next?
After more than four years of litigation in federal district court, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) yesterday issued an order approving a $105 million settlement resolving allegations that Barclays Bank PLC and certain of its traders...
Underground Natural Gas Storage IFR Comment Period Reopened
On October 19, 2017, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced an additional comment period on its December 19, 2016 interim final rule (IFR) which established minimum federal safety standards for underground natural gas storage facilities. PHMSA will...
NAS Recognizes Utility of Performance Based Rules
In October 2017, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) issued a pre-publication report on “ Designing Safety Standards for High Hazard Industries .” Sponsored by PHMSA (and many years in the making), the Report focuses on oil and gas pipelines...
DOT Requests Comments on Regulatory Review
The Department of Transportation formally requested public comment on existing rules and “other agency actions,” including but not limited to guidance documents and policy statements, that are good candidates for repeal, replacement, suspension, or modification without compromising safety. This request...
FERC Improves Treatment of Passive Tax Equity for Transaction Approvals
On October 4, 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) issued an order clarifying that it will not treat certain tax equity interests in public utilities or public utility holding companies as voting securities for purposes of transaction approval requirements...
Will Supreme Court Find Constitutional Problems With ALJs?
Recent federal circuit court of appeals decisions have cast doubt on the constitutionality of the use of administrative law judges (ALJs) in adjudicative proceedings. ALJs are widely used to adjudicate disputes and enforcement actions in regulated industries, including in administrative...