Elements

California regulators established privacy and security rules for smart grid elements such as smart meters. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously approved rules to prohibit utilities or others from using consumer data for purposes other than utility operations without individual written customer consent. Earlier at the CPUC meeting consumers complained about smart meters causing health problems, an issue that earlier in the year prompted the CPUC to start an opt-out program for consumers who do not want one of the new meters. That proceeding is now ongoing.

Nearly a week after a bill that would temporarily block hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Empire State landed on his desk, New York Gov. David Paterson has not decided if he will sign or veto the legislation.

A comprehensive research plan that would provide guidelines and an assessment tool for regulators should be conducted in order to minimize the environmental impact of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, according to researchers at the Academy of Natural Sciences (ANS).

Current state regulatory programs for water and environmental resource protection vary in scope and specificity, but they invariably have common elements in place to ensure oil and natural gas resources are developed in a way designed to protect water resources, the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) said in a new report.

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco last week rejected a petition by the California Power Exchange (Cal-PX) to stay three critical elements of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Dec. 15 order, which mapped out a series of reforms for chronic problems in the California wholesale power market.

Key elements of the energy policy bill and auxiliary tax package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives a week ago — notably a mandatory 15% renewable portfolio standard (RPS), increased taxes on the oil and gas industry, and the lack of increased fuel efficiency standards for autos — spell trouble for a conference committee attempting to reconcile the House bill with a U.S. Senate bill passed earlier this summer (see NGI, June 25).

Key elements of the energy policy bill and auxiliary tax package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend — notably a mandatory 15% renewable portfolio standard (RPS), increased taxes on the oil and gas industry, and the lack of increased fuel efficiency standards for autos — spell trouble for a conference committee attempting to reconcile the House bill with a U.S. Senate bill passed earlier this summer (see Daily GPI, June 25).

Not all of the elements are in place to commercialize the two major proposed Alaskan and Canadian natural gas pipelines, but progress is being made. ExxonMobil Corp. is “awaiting the right conditions for development” because the North American market will need gas from both projects in the next decade, a company executive said Tuesday.

Not all of the elements are in place to commercialize the two major proposed Alaskan and Canadian natural gas pipelines, but progress is being made. ExxonMobil Corp. is “awaiting the right conditions for development” because the North American market will need gas from both projects in the next decade, a company executive said Tuesday.