A federal appeals court upheld EPA’s regulation to limit emissions of mercury and hazardous air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants. On April 15, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal- and oil-fired electric utility steam…...
ConocoPhillips has obtained DOE authorization to export LNG to non-FTA countries from its Kenai Facility in Alaska. On April 14, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued authorization for ConocoPhillips Alaska Natural Gas Corporation (CPANGC) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Kenai LNG facility in Alaska to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries. CPANGC…...
EIA’s 2014 Annual Energy Outlook projects strong potential for fueling freight locomotives with liquefied natural gas. On April 14, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report highlighting the potential of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel freight locomotives. The report draws on EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2014 (AEO2014) which projects significant appeal to…...
On January 2, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission officially entered into two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). The MOUs will provide solutions for overlapping jurisdiction and sharing information of mutual interest. Overview On March 5, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced…...
The House Energy and Power Subcommittee has approved a bill aimed to expedite natural gas exports to U.S. allies. On April 9, 2014, the House Energy and Power Subcommittee approved the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act (H.R. 6) aimed to amend the Natural Gas Act to expedite export application approval for U.S. liquefied natural…...
DOE has released a five-year Strategic Plan outlining priorities to address the nation’s energy, security, economic, and environmental challenges. On April 7, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its Strategic Plan for 2014-2018 to advance its mission of enhancing U.S. security and economic growth through transformative science, technology, and market solutions to address energy,…...
Natural gas accounted for more than 50 percent of the 13,500 MW of U.S. power plant capacity additions in 2013. On April 8, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that the U.S. added approximately 13,500 MW of new utility-scale generating capacity in 2013, with natural gas-fired power plants accounting for more…...
Proposed penalties regarding violation of federal pipeline safety regulations reached a record high of $9.7M in 2013. On April 7, 2014, the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced that it proposed more than $9.7M in civil penalties for violations of pipeline safety regulations in 2013, the highest penalty amount proposed…...
In 2013, net U.S. energy imports declined to its lowest level since 1985, driven by growth in oil and natural gas production. On April 2, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that the U.S. imported a net 12.74 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy in 2013, the lowest level since…...
On February 19, 2014, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) held its sixth carbon allowance auction. Auction results over the first year show that compliance entities are becoming more comfortable with program and that investor market confidence is growing. Similarly, a secondary allowance market is also developing as market confidence grows. Overview The California Air…...
On March 4, 2014, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) held the first carbon allowance auction under the new Model Rule. Auction prices reached record levels and high market participation and allowance demand exhausted the 5 million allowance Cost Containment Reserve. Overview The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the nation’s first mandatory market-based cap-and-trade…...
The New York Power Authority has released its updated strategic plan outlining actionable initiatives to attain a transformed energy system. On March 26, 2014, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) released its Strategic Vision 2014-2019, an updated strategic plan aimed to boost economic growth by providing more value to NYPA customers. Through the plan, NYPA…...