On May 16, 2013, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Request for Comment regarding hydraulic fracturing on BLM-administered public and Indian lands (Revised Proposed Rule). This Revised Proposed Rule was issued in response to comments on the initial draft Proposed Rule published on May 11, 2012 (Initial Proposed… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Energy
Subscribe to Energy RSS FeedEPA Comments on the Keystone NEPA Review—Monetizing the Social Costs of CO2 Emissions
On April 22, 2013, comments filed on the Keystone Pipeline draft supplemental environmental impact statement, EPA unveiled a new approach to evaluating climate change impacts under NEPA—monetizing social costs of CO2. In those comments, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance recommended that the State Department use “monetized estimates of the social cost of… Continue Reading
IRS issues favorable guidance on tax credits for wind and other renewable electric generation developers
The Internal Revenue Service has issued highly anticipated guidance in the form of Notice 2013-29, providing guidelines and a safe harbor to determine when the owner of a renewable electricity generation facility (wind, biomass, or other renewable generation sources) is considered to have “begun construction” on any such facility by the end of 2013, making… Continue Reading
Senate Energy Committee Schedules Forums on Natural Gas
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has announced it will hold a series of roundtable forums on natural gas issues in May. Each of the three forums, which follow a February Committee hearing on natural gas challenges and opportunities, will focus on specific policy issues facing the country’s growing natural gas resources.
Shale gas exploration: European Commission launches stakeholder Consultation
The European Commission is completing a Consultation on the need for additional regulation of unconventional fossil fuel (e.g., shale gas) exploration and development in Europe. The Consultation period ends on 23 March 2013 and results will be made available on the Commission’s website and at a stakeholders’ meeting to be held by the Commission in… Continue Reading
DOE, EPA, OMB Nominees Announced
Earlier today, President Obama announced the nomination of three cabinet-level appointments to his Administration: Ernest Moniz as Secretary of Energy; Gina McCarthy as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and Sylvia Matthews Burwell as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Focus on gun control may make NRC licensees focus on 161A
The President’s 2013 State of the Union address discussed an issue that many states are also looking at closely — gun control — in particular banning assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCFD). In the wake of the tragic events at Sandy Hook and a number of other school shootings, several states have… Continue Reading
Sally Jewell Nominated for Interior Secretary
In a move that surprised many, President Obama has nominated REI chief executive Sally Jewell to replace Ken Salazar as the next Secretary of the Department of Interior. Salazar announced in January that he would be stepping down by the end of March. Jewell is an engineer by trade, and has previously worked in both… Continue Reading
Senate Energy Committee to Hold Major Hearing on Natural Gas
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) has scheduled a full committee hearing on February 12 entitled, “Opportunities and Challenges for Natural Gas.” The hearing will be held at 10:00 am in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. This hearing comes at a pivotal time for the U.S. natural gas… Continue Reading
Review of issues for 2013
The following is a summary of some of the key issues Congress and the Administration will be debating in 2013. Please contact us with any questions. We are happy to provide further analysis as well as insight into other areas of interest. Agriculture: Tom Vilsack is expected to stay on as Secretary of Agriculture…. Continue Reading
FERC announces policy for allocation of capacity on new merchant transmission projects
FERC has issued a policy statement to “clarify and refine” its policies governing the allocation of capacity for two types of transmission projects: new merchant transmission projects and new non-incumbent, cost-based, participant-funded transmission projects. The policy statement, which applies to project filings submitted on or after January 17, 2013, is intended to provide more flexibility… Continue Reading
FERC approves revised NERC definition of “bulk electric system”
FERC has issued Order No. 773, which approves a revised definition of “bulk electric system” proposed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) in response to a prior FERC directive. The revised definition establishes a bright-line threshold pursuant to which transmission facilities at 100 kV or above must comply with applicable NERC reliability standards. … Continue Reading
LNG Exports: A Big Benefit for the US and Global Economy
On Dec. 5, the Department of Energy released a long-awaited study on natural gas exports. The bottom line was not surprising: exports of natural gas (importantly including LNG) would be a net benefit to the US economy, and the net positive benefit will increase as exports increase. Basic economic theory supports this conclusion. So does… Continue Reading
FERC provides guidance for electric transmission rate incentives
FERC has issued a policy statement to provide further guidance regarding its evaluation of applications for electric transmission rate incentives pursuant to Section 219 of the Federal Power Act and Order No. 679. FERC explained that it had acted on numerous applications for transmission rate incentives since issuing Order No. 679, and that it would… Continue Reading
FERC proposes new rule to guard electric grid against solar storms
FERC has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to address the potential impact of geomagnetic disturbances (GMD) on the reliable operation of the electric grid. FERC proposes to require the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to develop standards to address GMD impacts and submit the standards for FERC approval. Public comments on the… Continue Reading
Senate Commerce Committee’s Probe of Fortune 500 Corporate Cybersecurity is Unprecedented; Responses Requested Oct. 19
Each of the 500 largest businesses in America has been asked by the Senate Commerce Committee to describe how it deals with cybersecurity, demonstrating that government’s focus on cybersecurity is not going away despite stalled legislative efforts. On 19 September, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) sent an unprecedented letter to the chief executives of the 500 largest companies… Continue Reading
Winding Up: Implementing New Wind Energy Siting Guidelines
The Department of the Interior’s new, voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines are the result of a four-year effort by the Wind Turbine Guidelines Federal Advisory Committee and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to reconcile the sometimes competing public goods of wind energy deployment and the protection of wildlife. The Guidelines set out recommended best practices… Continue Reading
New FERC Rules Help Integrate Wind and Solar into the Electric Grid
At its June open meeting, FERC issued a Final Rule establishing new requirements to better integrate wind and solar generators into the interstate electric grid. The new policies are aimed at addressing the grid reliability and forecasting challenges posed by renewables, whose output is dependent on the availability of variable inputs (i.e., wind and sunshine). … Continue Reading
EU Agrees to First Energy Efficiency Directive
Authored by Christopher Norton and Camilla Shires, Hogan Lovells London Office Against a background of growing dependency on energy imports and the recognition that the EU is currently not on track to meet its 20% energy saving target by 2020, European policymakers have finally reached agreement on the first-ever Energy Efficiency Directive. The Directive is… Continue Reading
NET Power announces pressurized CO2 power generation system
A revolutionary new power generation system, developed by NET Power LLC, continues to draw top-notch partners and investors including Toshiba Corp, The Shaw Group Inc., and Exelon Corp. The technology NET Power developed utilizes a pressurized stream of carbon dioxide (CO2) to drive a turbine to generate electricity. After the electricity is generated, the CO2… Continue Reading
NRC and FERC to Host Joint Meeting to Address Electric Grid Reliability
On Friday, June 15, 2012, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold a joint meeting at FERC’s headquarters to continue ongoing discussions to address grid reliability and the roles of the respective agencies in addressing this issue. On September 2, 2009, the NRC and FERC signed a Memorandum of… Continue Reading
Ex-Im Bank and OPIC financing opportunities for renewable energy
Ex-Im Bank offers favorable financing options to facilitate the export of U.S.-produced renewable energy goods and services. These financing options, and Ex-Im Bank’s commitment to expanding its portfolio of renewable energy financing, make Ex-Im Bank an attractive source of financing for international companies seeking to purchase U.S.-made renewable energy products and services. OPIC provides medium-… Continue Reading
FERC helps to prevent blackouts due to power plants’ compliance with new air toxics regulations
During its May open meeting, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announced the process it will follow for advising the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on requests from power generators for an additional year to comply with the EPA’s recently promulgated mercury and air toxics standard (MATS). The announcement marks a major step toward reconciling the missions… Continue Reading
U.S. tax reform: elements of reform already being developed by Congress
U.S. businesses and foreign multinationals with U.S. tax obligations should be on alert that the elements of a major U.S. tax reform legislative package are already in development within the U.S. Congress, the Obama Administration, and in interest groups and think tanks in Washington. The make-up of this tax reform package – to be debated… Continue Reading