Joined

Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee have joined to oppose attempts by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finding last month that carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions pose a danger to the public’s health and welfare (see Daily GPI, Dec. 8, 2009).

Triple-digit plunges continued at Northeast citygates Wednesday, and unlike a day earlier they were joined by declines spreading across the board. Several sections of the market were due to get a bit more reprieve Thursday from frigid conditions previously, although lows in the teens and 20s were still in the forecast from the Rockies through the Midwest, and sub-zero readings were expected in Alberta and parts of the Upper Plains.

Federal and state authorities joined Tuesday to bring civil and criminal actions against a former trader for the Bank of Montreal (BMO), his supervisor and three executives at a brokerage firm of the bank for deceiving and defrauding the bank about the true value of its natural gas options book.

Federal and state authorities joined Tuesday to bring civil and criminal actions against a former trader for the Bank of Montreal (BMO), his supervisor and three executives at a brokerage firm of the bank for deceiving and defrauding the bank about the true value of its natural gas options book.

William F. Hederman, former founding director of the Office of Market Oversight and Investigations (now the Office of Enforcement) at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), has joined Concept Capital’s Washington Research Group as a senior energy policy analyst. Concept Capital is an institutional broker and solutions provider for investment managers. Hederman will be working with the members of Washington Research Group’s energy team, including Ed Garlich, managing director and oil and gas analyst, and K. Whitney Stanco, energy policy analyst, covering alternative energy, climate policy and the intersection of traditional energy generators and renewable suppliers. Prior to joining the Washington Research Group, Hederman served as the founding director of the Office of Market Oversight and Investigations where he was recruited by the chairman to create market intelligence and enforcement capabilities during the California and Enron crises. In recognition of his contribution to the agency, he was the recipient of FERC’s most prestigious award, “Exemplar of Public Service,” and was nominated for the national “Service to America” award.

Dena E. Wiggins has joined Ballard Spahr as a partner in the Business & Finance Department and Energy and Project Finance Group in Washington, DC, according to the firm. Ballard Spahr said Wiggins’ experience representing energy clients, coupled with her extensive work on natural gas projects, enhances the range of legal services the firm offers the energy industry. Wiggins, who most recently was with Sutherland, will concentrate on natural gas regulatory issues. She has more than 20 years’ experience handling energy policy issues, incentives for natural gas production and regulatory matters involving natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products, and hydropower. She represented a major producer in successful legislative efforts to oppose reform of Outer Continental Shelf leases and represents a client on the Natural Gas Council, a coalition of major gas and electric trade associations. She speaks regularly on natural gas policy, has testified before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and served on the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board under then-Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham.

Steven L. Mueller has been promoted to CEO of Southwestern Energy Co. Mueller joined Southwestern in June 2008 as president and COO. A graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, Mueller previously worked for Tenneco Oil Co., Fina Oil Co., American Exploration Co., Belco Oil & Gas Co., The Houston Exploration Co. and CDX Gas LLC. Harold M. Korell, who is stepping down as Southwestern’s CEO, was appointed to serve as executive chairman until his retirement in early 2010, after which he would become the nonexecutive chairman.

Bellevue, WA-based Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Kings County, WA, and landfill gas specialist Bio Energy-Washington have joined forces on a project to use super-clean landfill gas to produce 35 MW in PSE’s existing gas-fired generation plants. They expect to produce up to 5.5 MMcf/d of “green” methane from the landfill.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has joined two other western governors to ask FERC to speed approval of El Paso Corp.’s Ruby Pipeline Project, which would carry natural gas from the Rockies to the West Coast.