Denied

A federal court judge Thursday denied the Department of Justice’s request to dismiss a lawsuit seeking documents from Vice President Dick Cheney and his energy task force related to the development of the national energy policy last year.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied last Thursday the bulk of the energy industry’s requests to limit the definition of “energy affiliate” as it applies in the agency’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) on standards of conduct governing the relationships between regulated monopolies and their affiliates.

Citing its failure to comply with certain environmental requirements, FERC staff has denied Petal Gas Storage LLC’s request to proceed with the construction of a 59-mile, 36-inch pipeline and associated facilities that would connect its expanding storage facilities in Hattiesburg, MS, with three interstate gas pipelines.

Citing its failure to comply with certain environmental requirements, FERC staff has denied Petal Gas Storage LLC’s request to proceed with the construction of a 59-mile, 36-inch pipeline and associated facilities that would connect its expanding storage facilities in Hattiesburg, MS, with three interstate gas pipelines.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week denied a producer group’s petition for review of a lower court ruling that upheld a Clinton administration prohibition on oil and natural gas leasing in forest lands in Montana.

The U.S. Supreme Court this week denied a producer group’s petition for review of a lower court ruling that upheld a Clinton administration prohibition on oil and natural gas leasing in forest lands in Montana.

FERC last week denied rehearing of a June order that permits Arizona Public Service Co. to assign its full-requirements (FR) capacity contract on El Paso Natural Gas to affiliate Pinnacle West Energy to serve a new gas-fired generation facility that it is building in Arizona. On the surface, it seemed a clear victory for the companies involved. However, Chairman Pat Wood made it very clear that he has concerns about FR service on El Paso, which entitles customers to unlimited capacity at frozen rates, and that he plans to take up the issue at a later date.

FERC denied rehearing of a June order that permits Arizona Public Service Co. to assign its full-requirements (FR) capacity contract on El Paso Natural Gas to affiliate Pinnacle West Energy to serve a new gas-fired generation facility that it is building in Arizona. On the surface, it seemed a clear victory for the companies involved. However, Chairman Pat Wood made it very clear that he has concerns about FR service on El Paso, which entitles customers to unlimited capacity at frozen rates, and that he plans to take up the issue at a later date.

FERC last week denied a request by major offshore pipelines to bar public disclosure of information that they are required to submit to the Commission under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).