Commission

The Texas House is expected to discuss the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Sunset Bill (HB 1818) on Tuesday. As it stands, the bill would reauthorize the commission for 12 years and require it to establish a policy that encourages use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), among other things.

The comment period closed Wednesday for a FERC notice of inquiry (NOI) regarding how the commission should address any double recovery of income tax cost resulting from the its current income tax allowance and rate of return policies [PL17-1].

In the article “Senate Dems Urge Trump to Make FERC Nominations, Restore Quorum,” NGI incorrectly stated that a law would prevent President Trump from nominating three Republicans to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In fact, the law states that no more than three members may be from the same political party. NGI regrets the error.

The three West Coast state regulators will meet Tuesday in Seattle to reaffirm adecades-old multi-statecommitment to reduce carbon emissions and expand low-carbon technologies in their energy industries. They plan to sign a memorandum of understanding among their three regulatory agencies, committing to promote cost-effective, reliable and clean energy resources and infrastructure. The signing will take place in the Bullitt Foundation’s headquarters building, which bills itself as the greenest commercial building in the world at 1501 E. Madison St. in Seattle. Taking part will be David Danner, chairman of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, Lisa Hardie, chair of the Oregon Public Utility Commission, and Michael Picker, president of the California Public Utilities Commission.

The continuing lack of a quorum at FERC, an agency key to any administration in achieving its energy platform, has more than a dozen Democratic members of Congress calling on President Trump to begin the process of filling vacancies.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is adding quarterly oil and gas enforcement data to its website. Beginning with the first quarter fiscal 2017 report, new enforcement information will include the numbers of oil and gas facility inspections with no violation; statewide oil and gas rule violations; major statewide oil and gas rule violations; and district-initiated severance/seal orders. RRC also is updating its definition of “major” oil and gas violations. A major violation now is defined as “a safety or pollution-related violation that causes a significant impact to public safety or the environment, is accompanied by conditions that indicate a significant impact to public safety or the environment is imminent, or is the result of deliberate disregard of commission rules and regulations related to public safety or environmental protection.” Also, major violations are now being reported at the time of discovery in the field rather than at the time of referral for penalty action, as recommended by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. Enforcement data can be found on the commission website.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is adding quarterly oil and gas enforcement data to its website. Beginning with the first quarter fiscal 2017 report, new enforcement information will include the numbers of oil and gas facility inspections with no violation; statewide oil and gas rule violations; major statewide oil and gas rule violations; and district-initiated severance/seal orders. RRC also is updating its definition of “major” oil and gas violations. A major violation now is defined as “a safety or pollution-related violation that causes a significant impact to public safety or the environment, is accompanied by conditions that indicate a significant impact to public safety or the environment is imminent, or is the result of deliberate disregard of commission rules and regulations related to public safety or environmental protection.” Also, major violations are now being reported at the time of discovery in the field rather than at the time of referral for penalty action, as recommended by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. Enforcement data can be found on the commission website.

Regulators in Michigan agreed with an administrative law judge’s finding that plans by DTE Electric Co. to contract with Nexus Gas Transmission LLC to buy natural gas for power generation appear “reasonable and prudent,” despite the pipeline being partly owned by a utility affiliate.

Shortly before passing a bill to reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for the next five years, House lawmakers, along mostly partisan lines, agreed Thursday to a controversial amendment to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that makes optional any federal position limits on commodity market derivatives.