Oppose

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairman in a letter Thursday to oppose legislation that would amend the Natural Gas Act (NGA), which among other things attempts to bring it into parity with the Federal Power Act (FPA).

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairman in a letter Thursday to oppose legislation that would amend the Natural Gas Act (NGA), which among other things attempts to bring it into parity with the Federal Power Act (FPA).

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) signaled she would oppose any attempt by the Democratic leadership to possibly merge energy legislation and a cap-and-trade bill on the Senate floor this year. Lumping two very controversial pieces of legislation into a single-bill strategy will make final passage very difficult, said the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The energy bill is expected to address a number of contentious issues, including federal siting of electric transmission facilities, drilling in the previously banned areas of the Outer Continental Shelf and a renewable energy standard (see NGI, March 9). Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has indicated that energy and cap-and-trade legislation should be dealt with separately. Cap-and-trade “[is] not as ready for prime time in my opinion,” he said. Murkowski said she and her staff are working in a bipartisan fashion with Bingaman and his staff on a comprehensive energy bill that they hope to mark up by the end of March.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Friday signaled that she would oppose any attempt by the Democratic leadership to possibly merge energy legislation and a cap-and-trade bill on the Senate floor this year.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Friday said it will not oppose on antitrust grounds a proposal by a group of oil and natural gas producers, oilfield service companies and the University of Texas to engage in joint research and development involving the application of nanotechnology to the exploration and production of oil and gas.

Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) regulators are planning to write to the federal Department of Energy (DOE) to oppose the concept of federally designated electricity transmission corridors. The ACC is poised to take a position different from neighboring regulators in California who once opposed the concept but now support it.

Several popular Bahamian musical artists have signed on to plans by environmental group reEarth for a concert Dec. 2 to oppose plans for an LNG (liquefied natural gas) regasification facility at Ocean Cay in the Bahamas.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Thursday unanimously agreed to oppose a November statewide ballot measure (Proposition 90) to curb eminent domain seizures of private property because it could cost utilities and their customers tens of millions of dollars. New electric transmission line projects, and other infrastructure upgrades, could be delayed or halted, the five-member CPUC said.

Four state-wide Colorado consumer groups Wednesday announced they have formed a coalition to oppose a $210 million general rate increase request by Xcel Energy that the company maintains is essential for it to recover $1 billion it has invested in its electric system since 2002. Called the “Xcel Accountability Project,” the coalition effort established a website (www.ExposeXcel.com), making an e-mail pitch for support before the state regulatory commission.