Energy Law

Environmental Groups Threaten Law Suit Over U.S. Ex-Im Bank?s Financing of PNG LNG Project

Posted on March 12, 2010
Yesterday the Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups notified the Export-Import Bank of the United States that the groups believe that the bank's financing agreement for the Papua New Guinea LNG liquefaction project is in violation of the U...

FERC Schedules Public Meetings on Pipeline Project Associated with Oregon LNG Terminal

Posted on March 11, 2010
FERC has scheduled three public meetings on April 20, 21, and 22, 2010, to hear testimony regarding the Oregon Pipeline, a pipeline associated with the planned Oregon LNG import terminal. The complete schedule of public meetings is available in the FERC eLibrary under Docket No...

NMFS Requests Extension to Study Potential Affects of Bradwood Landing LNG Project on Endangered Species

Posted on March 08, 2010
The Daily Astorian reports that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has requested an extension of time until December 31, 2010, to study the potential affects of the Bradwood Landing LNG project on endangered species. An official with Bradwood Landing LNG developer NorthernStar Natural Gas said that "both FERC and Bradwood must agree to any extension beyond the statutory limit...

FERC Chairman Responds to Canadian Ambassador's Letter Concerning LNG Transit Through Canadian Waters

Posted on March 08, 2010
In late February, FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff responded to a letter from Canadian Ambassador to the United States Gary Doer. In his response, Chairman Wellinghoff stated that the Commission recognizes that "issues relating to LNG tanker passage through Canadian waters have not been resolved," but that FERC would continue to process the LNG terminal applications filed by Downeast and Calais LNG...

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Province of New Brunswick Responds to Calais LNG

Posted on March 04, 2010
The Province of New Brunswick has filed an answer this week to comments Calais LNG made regarding a motion to reject and other comments previously filed with FERC by the Province. Notably, New Brunswick rejects Calais LNG's assertion that  FERC should limit the scope of the Province's intervention in this proceeding, emphasizing that Calais LNG mischaracterized FERC's treatment of New Brunswick in the Downeast LNG proceeding...

U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation to Grant States Greater Authority Over LNG Facility Siting

Posted on March 03, 2010
United States Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) jointly introduced a bill that would repeal a portion of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which gave FERC authority over the siting of LNG terminals...

Maryland Completes Intergovernmental Review of Sparrows Point LNG Project

Posted on March 02, 2010
Last month Maryland's Department of Planning informed FERC that the Maryland Intergovernmental Review and Coordination process has been completed for Sparrows Point LNG. The Department of Planning's letter to FERC is available in the eLibrary under Docket No...

Cove Point LNG Requests Authorization to Begin Construction on Pier Reinforcement Project

Posted on March 01, 2010
Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP has requested written authorization from FERC to begin construction on the Pier Reinforcement Project by March 12, 2010. The request is available in the FERC eLibrary under Docket No. CP09-60.

Maine State Rep. Submits Comments Supporting Calais LNG

Posted on February 19, 2010
Maine State Rep. Dianne Tilton (R) submitted comments to FERC this week offering her support for the Calais LNG import project. Her letter to the Commission is available in the eLibrary under Docket No. CP10-31.

FERC Approves Waiver on Tying, Capacity Release Arrangements Between Statoil and Gazprom at Cove Point LNG

Posted on February 18, 2010
Today FERC granted a waiver of its prohibition on tying and certain capacity release requirements sought by Statoil Natural Gas LLC and Gazprom Marketing and Trading USA, Inc. The parties sought the waiver to allow a release to Gazprom of Statoil's open access transportation capacity on the Cove Point sendout pipeline, as well as capacity on the Dominion Transmission, Inc...

FERC Rejects WGL Protest Regarding Impacts of Regasified LNG in Transco/Elba Express Proceeding

Posted on February 18, 2010
FERC issued an order today rejecting Washington Gas Light's rehearing request regarding FERC's prior approval of a new interconnection between Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line and Elba Express, a new sendout pipeline from the Elba Island LNG terminal. Finding that WGL's concerns regarding regasified LNG from Elba Island reaching its system in significant concentrations are "unsupported (and unquantified)," FERC determined that allowing WGL's "restrictive" gas quality requirements to control Transco's specifications "would be detrimental to the public interest...

NMFS Dismisses Its Petition for Court Review of FERC's Bradwood LNG Decision

Posted on February 18, 2010
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has voluntarily dismissed its petition for review filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit of FERC's approval of the Bradwood Landing LNG project. The motion to dismiss is available in the PACER system under Docket No...

LNG Project Opponents Say FERC Acting Inconsistently on Maine LNG Project Applications

Posted on February 17, 2010
In supplemental comments filed with FERC this week, Nulankeyutomonen Nkihtahkomikumon, Save Passamaquoddy Bay-Canada, and Save Passamaquoddy Bay-U.S. suggest that the Commission is not evaluating the circumstances surrounding the Downeast and Calais LNG proposals in the same manner...

Local Residents Appeal FERC's Approval of AES Sparrows Point LNG Project to D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

Posted on February 15, 2010
A number of local residents have filed an appeal of FERC's approval of the AES Sparrows Point LNG import project with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Documents regarding this appeal should be available in the PACER system soon and the Baltimore Sun offers further details.

Recently Appointed Commissioner Says FERC Should Focus on Safety, Environmental Impacts When Evaluating LNG Terminal Applications

Posted on February 05, 2010
Speaking to Platts LNG Daily, recently appointed FERC Commissioner John Norris indicated that the agency should focus on safety and environmental impacts in evaluating LNG terminal applications and allow the market to decide whether a facility is eventually built...

New Brunswick Argues Calais LNG Application Should Be Rejected by FERC

Posted on February 01, 2010
In a motion to reject and additional comments filed with FERC last week, the Province of New Brunswick argued that the Commission should reject Calais LNG's application to build and operate an LNG terminal and associated pipeline for failure to provide all required information...

Opponents of Bradwood Landing LNG Project File Brief with Ninth Circuit

Posted on January 29, 2010
A number of non-profit groups filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit this week arguing that FERC did not adequately assess the environmental impacts of the Bradwood Landing LNG project on local resources and that the local energy market does not require LNG imports...

FERC Planning On-Site Inspection of Lake Charles LNG Facility

Posted on January 28, 2010
FERC is planning an on-site inspection of the Lake Charles LNG import facility on March 23-24, 2010. This inspection will serve as the Commission's annual post-certification review of the facility. FERC's notice of the inspection and request for information from Trunkline LNG is available in the Commission's eLibrary under Docket No...

FERC Chairman Says Carbon Emissions from Upstream Production and LNG Transport Should Be Accounted for in Environmental Review

Posted on January 28, 2010
Speaking at an event in Portland, Ore., FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said that he believes life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of LNG, including GHG emissions from production and transport via vessel, should be included in the environmental review of LNG regasification terminals proposed in the United States...

Gulf LNG Submits Report Detailing Environmental Monitoring Efforts

Posted on January 21, 2010
Yesterday Gulf LNG submitted its Annual Monitoring Report detailing its environmental monitoring efforts to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A copy of the report is available in the FERC eLibrary under Docket No. CP06-12.

State of Oregon, NMFS Seek Rehearing in Jordan Cove LNG Proceeding

Posted on January 20, 2010
The State of Oregon and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have filed separate requests for rehearing following FERC's conditional authorization of the Jordan Cove LNG import project. Oregon argues that FERC's authorization was improper because the state has not yet certified the project's compliance with water quality standards or consistency with the state's federally approved Coastal Management Plan...

Oregon LNG Provides Additional Environmental Data

Posted on January 19, 2010
Responding to an environmental data request from FERC, Oregon LNG has submitted information regarding potential impacts of the project on water resources in the surrounding area. Oregon LNG?s submission is available in the eLibrary under Docket No. CP09-6.

FERC Seeks Army Corps of Engineers Assistance in Calais LNG Authorization Proceeding

Posted on January 13, 2010
Yesterday FERC formally requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in the Calais LNG authorization proceeding as a cooperating agency. FERC's request is available in the eLibrary under Docket No. CP10-31.

Jordan Cove LNG Formally Accepts FERC's Authorization

Posted on January 12, 2010
Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. yesterday filed its formal acceptance of FERC's authorizations of the Jordan Cove LNG import project and associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. The acceptance is available in the FERC eLibrary under Docket No. Cp07-444.

Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission Intervenes in Opposition of Calais LNG Terminal

Posted on January 08, 2010
This week the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission moved to intervene in the Calais LNG FERC proceeding. In its filing, the Commission expressed opposition to the Calais LNG project and any other project that would permit LNG vessels to transit the Head Harbour Passage...

NMFS Official: Agency Not Required to Meet FERC's Deadline for Review of Bradwood Landing LNG

Posted on January 07, 2010
Cathy Tortorici, a division chief with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), told the Daily Astorian that her agency is not required to meet a March 8, 2010 deadline to submit its findings on threatened or endangered species that could be affected by the Bradwood Landing LNG project...

Oregon LNG CEO Remains Optimistic on Future of Project

Posted on January 06, 2010
Oregon LNG CEO Peter Hansen told Platts LNG Daily [subscription required] that despite FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff's recent comments expressing skepticism of new LNG terminals, Hansen expects the Commission to approve his company's project.

FERC Requests NMFS Input on Bradwood Landing LNG Project by Early March

Posted on January 05, 2010
Last week FERC requested that the National Marine Fisheries Service provide its response to the Biological Assessment prepared by FERC staff regarding the Bradwood Landing LNG import terminal. In its letter to NMFS, FERC asked that the agency submit its response by March 8, 2010...

FERC Staff Concludes AES Sparrows Point LNG Project Conforms with Maryland's Air Quality Regulations

Posted on December 30, 2009
FERC's staff issued a Final General Conformity Determination concluding that the planned construction and operations of the AES Sparrows Point LNG project conforms to the regulations in Maryland's implementation plan for the air standards mandated by the federal Clean Air Act...

Calais LNG Files Application with FERC

Posted on December 29, 2009
This month Calais LNG reportedly filed an application to construct and operate an LNG import terminal near Calais, Maine. Although the application for the LNG terminal is not yet available from FERC, an application to construct and operate the natural gas pipeline associated with the Calais LNG project is available in the eLibrary under Docket No...

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