Regulatory

FERC has given a subsidiary of National Fuel Gas Co. (NFG) permission to place into service a key pipeline element of its $76.1 million West Side Expansion and Modernization Project [CP14-70] in western Pennsylvania, about three weeks before the original in-service date.

A new climate change law (SB 350) dealing with building efficiencies and renewable energy was signed into law Wednesday by California Gov. Jerry Brown, who had suggested more sweeping legislation but settled for something less.

The CEOs of ExxonMobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell plc this week each said renewables have a role to play in future world energy supply, but natural gas still would lead the way toward a sustainable future.

The Obama administration has officially threatened to veto a bill expected to pass the House of Representatives on Friday that would lift a ban on most domestically produced crude oil exports, but such a move could be tricky if the bill wins more Democratic support.

A review of more than three dozen self-reported cases handled by FERC’s Office of Enforcement (OE) found no evidence that OE “had not performed enforcement activities in accordance with its own policies and procedures,” according to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Exelon Corp. and Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI) have reached a settlement agreement with District of Columbia (DC) opponents to their planned merger.

FERC Commissioner Philip Moeller whose term ends this year plans to resign from the regulatory agency at the end of the month, he said Tuesday.

The Obama administration’s proposed new ozone standard could expand opportunities for the use of natural gas vehicles (NGV), according to both industry and government sources.

Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. has asked regulators in five states to approve cost-of-service-based natural gas reserves acquisition programs to support utility supplies.