Political

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Wednesday brought a civil enforcement action against Amaranth Advisors LLC, Amaranth Advisors (Calgary) ULC and Brian Hunter, a former natural gas trader with the firm, alleging that they schemed to manipulate the natural gas futures market in 2006 in violation of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).

Six western state governors wrote to the Congressional leadership of both major political parties Thursday urging comprehensive action on global climate change, while one of the region’s major power utilities threw its support behind a bipartisan three-part approach to promoting plug-in electric vehicles with new power transmission legislation.

Opposing political voices across the river in Washington state are growing in number and volume regarding NorthernStar Natural Gas Co.’s proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal at Bradwood Landing, OR, in the Columbia River, the main economic artery for the Pacific Northwest. Three state legislators joined the chorus last Thursday, and a Feb. 28 U.S. Coast Guard report is being interpreted as classifying the site as “unsuitable.”

In a state whose political and economic history has been shaped by water more than any other resource, California Public Utilities Commission member Dian Grueneich last week used her power as the regulatory panel’s assigned commissioner on the issue to order the state’s four major private-sector energy utilities to develop one-year pilot programs for stepping up water conservation aimed at cutting the large energy volumes used to produce, transport and treat water.

In a state whose political and economic history has been shaped by water more than any other resource, California Public Utilities Commission member Dian Grueneich Monday used her power as the regulatory panel’s assigned commissioner on the issue to order the state’s four major private-sector energy utilities to develop one-year pilot programs for stepping up water conservation aimed at cutting the large energy volumes used to produce, transport and treat water.

Plenty of political wrangling remains before an agreement is struck to commercialize Alaska’s North Slope gas reserves with transport to the Lower 48 (see NGI, Sept. 11). However, getting Alaska gas to Canada and then the United States is something TransCanada Corp. has been thinking about for a long time. And the company has some definite ideas about what it would like its role to be in the effort.

Plenty of political wrangling remains before an agreement is struck to commercialize Alaska’s North Slope gas reserves with transport to the Lower 48 (see Daily GPI, Sept. 8). However, getting Alaska gas to Canada and then the United States is something TransCanada Corp. has been thinking about for a long time. And the company has some definite ideas about what it would like its role to be in the effort.

Natural gas exports to the United States are attracting hostile political attention on the buying side of the Canadian market as tightening supplies and strong prices affect industrial consumption and employment. Closure of six Ontario and Alberta plants, at a cost of 550 jobs, by Dow Chemical Canada prompted an immediate call for government intervention by the Ottawa-based Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union.

Natural gas exports to the United States are attracting hostile political attention on the buying side of the Canadian market as tightening supplies and strong prices affect industrial consumption and employment. Closure of six Ontario and Alberta plants, at a cost of 550 jobs, by Dow Chemical Canada prompted an immediate call for government intervention by the Ottawa-based Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union.