Regulator

President Obama has tapped former Colorado regulator Ron Binz to sit on the five-member Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, succeeding Jon Wellinghoff.

In the midst of calls to “throw the book” at Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) after the San Bruno natural gas transmission pipeline explosion (see Daily GPI, June 7), a California regulator on Thursday found reason to praise the often-criticized San Francisco-based combination utility.

Changing the name of the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) to more accurately reflect its duties as lead regulator over the state’s oil and natural gas industry and to provide more oversight over the elected members proved more difficult than some had thought, and the legislation died Tuesday in a state House committee.

Tony Clark may have traded in his state regulator’s hat for a seat at FERC, but he has not changed his opinion that states are better equipped to oversee the regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) than the federal government.

Tony Clark may have traded in his state regulator’s hat for a seat at FERC, but he has not changed his opinion that states are better equipped to oversee the regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) than the federal government.

With seemingly more oil and gas development going on in Texas than ever, perhaps it’s time to finally change the name of the state’s principal regulator of the industry to something that reflects its purpose, something other than Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

With seemingly more oil and gas development going on in Texas than ever, perhaps it’s time to finally change the name of the state’s principal regulator of the industry to something that reflects its purpose, something other than Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

The composition of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) is changing with the election of one new member in the recent state primary and the prospect for a second new regulator following the general election in November. Current District 1 Commissioner Jason Marks is term-limited out this year. Bernalillo County Assessor Karen Montoya won a Democratic primary and will face Republican candidate Christopher Ocksrider in November for the seat. In the meantime, Valerie Espinoza, a county clerk in Santa Fe, gained sufficient votes for the District 3 seat to allow her to bypass a runoff and head straight to the PRC, replacing Douglas Howe. Howe was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez on an interim basis to fill a vacancy created when Jerome Block resigned last year after pleading guilty to felony charges involving embezzlement of public funds.

Capping off a string of regulatory actions that have been favorable to the oil and natural gas industry — and somewhat embarrassing to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — the regulator last week delayed the release of final air pollution standards for hydraulic fracturing (fracking).