Clears

The Department of Defense has given the green light for FERC to issue an amended presidential permit to Sierra Production Co. to double the capacity of its border-crossing facilities at the Montana-Canadian line.

Top Republican negotiators on the broad energy bill, Sen Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Rep. W.J. Billy Tauzin of Louisiana, said Friday that a deal was struck on disputed issues in the tax package that allows them to make the text of the bill public on Saturday, and sets the stage for the measure to possibly clear both houses before lawmakers adjourn for the session this week.

Tucked away in the corner of the spacious and empty Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center earlier this month, a joint federal-local port hearing on Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi’s proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal drew many community stakeholders, but only three independent citizens, none of whom objected to accelerated preliminary environmental review.

Tucked away in the corner of the spacious and empty Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center last Thursday night a joint federal-local port hearing on Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi’s proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal drew many community stakeholders, but only three independent citizens, none of whom objected to accelerated preliminary environmental review.

Based on interviews with Wall Street analysts the Department of Energy’s (DOE) inspector general Friday cleared FERC Chairman Pat Wood and Commissioner Nora Brownell of revealing during a conference call with the analysts how they would vote in high-profile western power contract cases, although he said he had “no way of confirming” that since no transcripts of the call were made. He recommended that the agency record or transcribe any conference calls to avoid similar questions in the future.

Southern Union Co. said Friday that the Missouri Public Service Commission (“MoPSC”) unanimously approved the settlement agreement reached between it and the MoPSC’s staff and Office of Public Counsel regarding the company’s acquisition of Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co. and its subsidiaries from CMS Gas Transmission Company, a subsidiary of CMS Energy Corporation.

Following a year-long investigation, a Senate committee has cleared Robert Rubin, former Treasury Secretary and current Citigroup executive, and several other bankers of allegations that they acted illegally when they contacted government officials regarding Enron Corp. and its credit rating just weeks before the energy company filed for bankruptcy in December 2001.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a favorable “letter of recommendation” in response to Dominion Resources’ plans to resume imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at its terminal facility in Cove Point, MD. The letter “addresses positively the suitability of part of the Chesapeake Bay for LNG marine traffic, [but] it does not in itself represent final authority to commence LNG marine transport operations,” it told the Richmond, VA-based energy company.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a favorable “letter of recommendation” in response to Dominion Power’s plans to resume imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at its terminal facility in Cove Point, MD. The letter “addresses positively the suitability of part of the Chesapeake Bay for LNG marine traffic, [but] it does not in itself represent final authority to commence LNG marine transport operations,” it told the power utility.