Adopted

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Wednesday adopted changes with respect to its regulation of foreign brokers operating within the United States. Specifically, the CFTC said it will exempt foreign firms from registration as a futures commission merchant (FCM) and any associated requirements if they limit their customers to persons located outside of the U.S. and submit transactions executed on U.S. exchanges for clearing on an omnibus basis through a registered FCM.

Lead participants in a major report by the National Petroleum Council (NPC), which was adopted Wednesday, urged Congress and other energy policymakers to use the report’s conclusions and recommendations to guide their future actions.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) last Thursday FERC heeded a recent court remand and adopted its slimmed-down affiliate rule in its standards of conduct, Order 497, that bars gas pipelines from giving preferential treatment solely to their marketing affiliates. The Commission also requested comments on whether the slimmed-down version of the rule should be applied to electric utilities.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) Thursday FERC heeded a recent court remand and adopted its slimmed-down affiliate rule in its standards of conduct, Order 497, that bars gas pipelines from giving preferential treatment solely to their marketing affiliates. The Commission also requested comments on whether the slimmed-down version of the rule should be applied to electricity utilities.

As of Jan. 1, Ohio’s natural gas customers have safeguards and benefits provided by the state’s recently adopted Natural Gas Service Standards. The new standards address service installation, metering, billing and customer service issues in an effort to ensure fair and reliable service.

Beginning Jan. 1, Ohio’s natural gas customers will have safeguards and benefits provided by the state’s recently adopted Natural Gas Service Standards. The new standards address service installation, metering, billing and customer service issues in an effort to ensure fair and reliable service.

The House Budget Committee late Wednesday adopted a $2.8 trillion budget resolution for fiscal 2007 that excludes language to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas drilling.

FERC on Monday adopted a policy statement that provides interim guidance, pending a future rulemaking, to companies that are challenging federal or state decisions involving interstate natural gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in federal appeals court. The guidance primarily applies to existing cases.

FERC last week adopted final rules on interlocking corporate directorates. The rules are designed to protect both public and private interests. They emphasize the need for corporate board members to receive prior authorization before entering into interlocking directorates and provide greater specificity regarding the Commission’s regulatory requirements.