Presiding

A county judge in Pennsylvania has refused to remove himself from presiding over a lawsuit filed by Range Resources Corp., stating that he can remain objective in the case despite his wife’s activities with an environmental group opposed to hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Despite a recommendation from its presiding members’ committee to approve the project, the California Energy Commission (CEC) on Thursday unanimously agreed to reopen the regulatory process for a long-standing proposal by Princeton, NJ-based NRG Energy Inc. to build a smaller natural gas-fired generation plant on part of its existing 100-acre coastal generation plant site in Carlsbad, CA.

In a blow to FERC’s enforcement case against Energy Transfer Partners’ Oasis Pipeline LP, a presiding administrative law judge (ALJ) last Tuesday dismissed the agency’s most serious charge against the pipeline — that its discriminated against nonaffiliated shippers in favor of affiliated shippers.

In a blow to FERC’s enforcement case against Energy Transfer Partners’ Oasis Pipeline LP, the presiding administrative law judge (ALJ) Tuesday dismissed the agency’s charge that the pipeline discriminated against nonaffiliated shippers in favor of affiliated shippers.

Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay on Monday said the four bank fraud charges against him are accurate, but he insisted to the presiding judge in the case that it was not his intention to defraud the banks.

With the adoption of the 2005 update of California’s Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) slated for next month, the presiding member of the five-member California Energy Commission (CEC), charged with publishing the guidebook for the governor and legislature earlier this month, expressed his frustration with the state’s effort to reshape a coherent, effective energy strategy.

As requested, the judge presiding over Enron Corp.’s bankruptcy last week granted an extension for the company to file its reorganization plan. Judge Arthur Gonzalez said it would be “counterproductive” to deny the request, which was made in late June (ee NGI, June 30).

As requested, the judge presiding over Enron Corp.’s bankruptcy granted an 11-day extension for the company to file its reorganization plan. Judge Arthur Gonzalez said it would be “counterproductive” to deny the request, which was made last week (see Daily GPI, June 30).