Provision

The state of Connecticut challenged in federal court last Tuesday the constitutionality of a provision in the new energy law that gives companies recourse to seek federal court review of state actions that block the construction of natural gas pipelines and other energy projects.

The state of Connecticut challenged in federal court Tuesday the constitutionality of a provision in the new energy law that gives companies recourse to seek federal court review of state actions that block the construction of natural gas pipelines and other energy projects.

Seizing on a provision in the new federal Energy Policy Act, the California Energy Commission (CEC) staff Wednesday released a 38-page “Safety Advisory Report” on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal proposed by Sound Energy Solutions (SES) in the Port of Long Beach. An official joint environmental impact report by FERC and the port is due for release later this month. Under the new federal energy act, FERC is obligated to address any safety issues raised by the CEC staff document.

Those advocating a fast track for approval of infrastructure projects should get their message through to energy bill conferees, FERC Chairman Pat Wood said last Tuesday, noting that energy legislation only “comes around one time in about 10 years.”

Those advocating a fast track for approval of infrastructure projects should get their message through to energy bill conferees, FERC Chairman Pat Wood said Tuesday, noting that energy legislation only “comes around one time in about 10 years.”

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has defended its decision to reject a requirement by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line that converting firm transportation (FT) customers must take and pay for service on production area supply laterals. FERC’s order on (its second) remand Wednesday (RP92-137-052) explained to a court that the decision was not inconsistent with other orders regarding Transco.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has defended its decision to reject a requirement by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line that converting firm transportation (FT) customers must take and pay for service on production area supply laterals. FERC’s order on (its second) remand Wednesday (RP92-137-052) explained to a court that the decision was not inconsistent with other orders regarding Transco.

An add-on provision requiring utilities to extend for another five years the current five-year contracts they have with small qualifying facility (QF) generating plants has temporarily derailed a proposal in the California state senate to crack down on alleged misuse of published natural gas price indices that are used by state regulators and market participants to establish contract pricing formulas.

The U.S. Senate amended the Department of the Interior’sappropriations bill to include a provision for a two million barrelheating oil reserve in the Northeast. The House already hasauthorized creation of a permanent reserve but has not appropriatedfunds. A conference committee now will merge the two measures. Lastweek, the president ordered the Department of Energy to establish atemporary home heating oil reserve in time for use this winter.This week, DOE plans to advertise for bids to fill that stockpile.It intends to sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve inLouisiana in exchange for heating oil and storage capacity in theNortheast.