Votes

In what was seen as a major breakthrough for the retail market, the New York State Public Service Commission (NYPSC) Wednesday voted out policy statements and an order promoting further development of retail natural gas and electric competition for small consumers in the state.

Members of the Passamaquoddy Native American tribe, having lost out in an earlier bid to open a gambling casino, voted in favor of locating an LNG import terminal on their Sipayik Reservation on Passamaquoddy Bay on the northern Maine coast. The vote was 193 to 132, in what Tribal Representative (to the state legislature) Fred Moore III said was the highest turnout ever for a special election.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last Wednesday voted out the nomination of New Mexico attorney Suedeen G. Kelly for a seat on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, setting the stage for the full Senate to now act on her appointment and that of the Republican FERC nominee, Joseph T. Kelliher.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday voted out the nomination of New Mexico attorney Suedeen G. Kelly for a seat on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, setting the stage for the full Senate to now act on her appointment and that of the Republican FERC nominee, Joseph T. Kelliher.

In what was good news for oil and natural gas producers, the Senate last Thursday voted to retain a section in the broad energy bill that calls for the Department of Interior to conduct a major inventory of potential oil and gas resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), including those in coastal areas where drilling has been banned by Congress for the past 20 years.

In what was good news for oil and natural gas producers, the Senate on Thursday voted to retain a section in the broad energy bill that calls for the Department of Interior to conduct a major inventory of potential oil and gas resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), including those in coastal areas where drilling has been banned by Congress for the past 20 years.

Interstate natural gas pipelines scored a key victory Wednesday in a final FERC rule that gives pipes “additional flexibility” to rebuild damaged facilities to restore service following an “emergency interruption,” whether caused deliberately or not.

The U.S. Senate last Thursday shot down a bid by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) to eliminate a Democrat-backed federal requirement included in the omnibus energy bill (S. 517) that electric utilities generate 10% of their electricity using renewable energy fuels, such as solar energy, biomass and wind.

The New York State Public Service Commission voted Wednesday to approve, with conditions, a five-year plan designed to reduce electric rates by $205 million annually for customers of New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG). The commission also voted to approve the merger of Energy East Corp., NYSEG’s parent, with RGS Energy Group, parent of Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E). If NYSEG accepts the Commission’s conditions, the plan will take effect March 1.