FERC Dismisses WIRES' Petition Requesting New ROE Analysis
On September 16, 2015, the Commission dismissed a petition filed by the Working group for Investment in Reliable and Economic electric Systems ("WIRES") in which WIRES requested that the Commission institute a generic proceeding to determine whether the Commission's discounted cash flow ("DCF") methodology continues to be the most appropriate method of computing public utility Return on Equity ("ROE"). [Read more →]
FERC Staff Issues Notice of Alleged Violations against Total Gas & Power for Market Manipulation
On September 21, 2015, FERC Office of Enforcement Staff issued a Notice of Alleged Violations against Total Gas & Power, North America, Inc. ("TGPNA") and TGPNA's West Desk traders and supervisors, Therese Nguyen and Aaron Hall. FERC Staff stated that in a nonpublic investigation, the Office of Enforcement Staff made a preliminary determination that TGPNA and its traders and supervisors violated section 4A of the Natural Gas Act and FERC's Anti-Manipulation Rule. [Read more →]
President Obama Announces Initiatives to Accelerate Infrastructure Project Permitting
On September 22, 2015, President Obama's Administration announced concurrent actions intended to help achieve certain goals established in the Administration's 2014 comprehensive plan to modernize infrastructure permitting. Those actions include an enhanced Federal Infrastructure Permitting Dashboard ("Dashboard"), new guidance establishing metrics for the permitting and review of infrastructure projects, and the first update since 1988 of the Synchronizing Environmental Reviews for Transportation and Other Infrastructure Projects handbook ("Red Book"). [Read more →]
U.S. Department of Interior Denies Sage-Grouse Endangered Species Act Protection
On September 22, 2015, the U.S. Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service ("FWS") announced that the sage-grouse would not be listed under the Endangered Species Act ("ESA") – a particularly significant decision for wind development in the Western United States. [Read more →]
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