Inflation Reduction Act
U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report - March 2017
NYMEX NYMEX 15-0200-BC-6 EFRP Violation of Rules 538 – Exchange for Related Positions and 538.C – Related Position. A non-member entity was found to have entered into an EFRP transaction on December 1, 2014 that was in violation of Exchange...
Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure from Pipeline Sabotage
Oil and gas provides nearly two thirds of all energy used in the United States, which is primarily transported by pipelines. The United States currently has roughly 2.8 million miles of pipelines. Most of this infrastructure is buried, but aboveground...
EPA Seeks Public Comment on Existing Regulations for Repeal, Replacement or Modification
On April 13, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is seeking comments from the public on existing regulations that the Agency should consider repealing, replacing, or modifying. 82 Fed. Reg. 17793 (Apr. 13, 2017). EPA issued...
Expansive Integrity Management Training and Qualification Advisory
PHMSA issued a brief advisory reminding gas transmission operators of training and qualification requirements under the integrity management regulations. The advisory responds to inconsistencies in operator implementation of these rules (at 49 C.F.R. Part 192.915) and outlines PHMSA’s “expectations.” Further...
Underground Natural Gas Storage: Regulations and Fees Move Forward Despite Appeal and Criticism
Last December, PHMSA issued an interim final rule (IFR) to establish—for the first time ever—minimum federal standards for underground natural gas storage facilities. The IFR imposes significant new requirements in a short timeframe for “downhole facilities,” including wells, wellbore tubing...
EPA Proposes to Delay the Effective Date of RMP Rule Amendments to 2019
On April 3, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule that would delay the effective date of the recent Risk Management Program (RMP) rule amendments to February 19, 2019. 82 Fed. Reg. 16146 (Apr. 3, 2017)...
President Trump Signs Executive Order “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth”
On March 28, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order titled “ Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth .” Touted by the administration as both “protecting the environment and promoting [the] economy,” [1] the Order aims to “promote clean and...
U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report - February 2017
NYMEX NYMEX 16-0600 Misc . Rules 413 – Summary Access Denial Actions (in part) and 413.A – Authority to Deny Access. On January 5, 2017, CME Group’s Market Regulation Department summarily denied a member’s direct and indirect access to the...
Fate of Environmental Justice Considerations
Just last summer, EPA released its final version of the Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis (EJ Technical Guidance), defining “environmental justice” as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national...
EPA Withdraws Oil and Gas Information Collection Request
On March 2, 2017, new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt made it clear that he will follow through on President Trump's promise to reduce regulatory burdens by withdrawing the Information Collection Request (ICR) that the Obama EPA issued last November to...
U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report - January 2017
NYMEX NYMEX 15-0087-BC-7 Misc. Violation of Rule 432 – General Offenses (in part) In August a non-member firm was alleged to have failed to respond to Exchange staff requests for information related to an investigation. Accordingly, the Business Conduct Committee...
What Will Be the Fate of PHMSA’s Final Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Rule?
On January 13, 2017, just one week before President Trump’s inauguration, PHMSA released final updates to the Pipeline Safety Regulations applicable to onshore transportation of hazardous liquids (“Final Rule”) . The Final Rule was then subject to the Priebus Memo...
President Trump’s SCOTUS Nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, Suggests a Weakening of the Chevron Doctrine With Less Deference to Rulemaking Efforts from EPA, DOI and Other Federal Agencies
On January 31, President Donald Trump selected Judge Neil Gorsuch as his nomination for the United States Supreme Court seat left open by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia nearly a year ago. From an environmental law perspective, it is...
In Line With Recent Precedent, Trump Administration Directs Federal Agencies to Halt New Regulations
As expected, one of President Trump’s first actions after being sworn in to office was to issue a memorandum outlining his administration’s plans for managing new or pending federal regulations. As shown in the Table below, the memorandum from President...
PHMSA Proposes Plans to Revise Volatility Standard for the Transport of Crude Oil
Today, PHMSA released an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), announcing that it is considering revising the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to establish vapor pressure limits for the transportation of crude oil and potentially all Class 3 flammable liquid hazardous...