Posts from — October 2011

On October 20, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) denied the bulk of the rehearing requests pertaining to the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.’s (“MISO”) cost allocation methodology for new transmission multi value projects (“MVP”), and the Commission denied all rehearing requests on the Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s (“SPP”) Highway/Byway cost allocation plan. [Read more →]

On October 16, 2011, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (“Kinder Morgan”) and El Paso Corporation (“El Paso”) announced that Kinder Morgan will be buying El Paso for approximately $38 billion (including outstand debt), creating the largest natural gas pipeline and storage company in the country. [Read more →]

On October 20, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced a schedule to develop standards for wastewater discharges that are produced during natural gas extraction from underground coalbed and shale formations.  EPA will begin to develop a proposed set of national standards while working with stakeholders.  EPA’s announcement is part of its “Effluent Guidelines Program” which sets national standards for industrial wastewater discharges using best available technologies which are economically achievable. [Read more →]

On October 18, 2011, SolarWorld Industries America Inc. (“SolarWorld”) filed a petition with the International Trade Commission (“ITC”) and the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) alleging that crystalline silicon solar cells and panels imported from China are being sold at an unfair value in the U.S.  This practice is referred to as “dumping.”  The petition also alleges that imports from China are benefitting from unlawful government subsidies. [Read more →]

Night operation of windmills at the North Allegheny Windpower Project has been halted due to the discovery of a dead Indiana bat beneath one of the wind turbines.   The Indiana bat is an endangered specifies protected by the Endangered Species Act. [Read more →]