FERC Orders New Reliability Standards for Physical Security at...

On March 7, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ordered the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to develop and submit for approval within 90 days new reliability standards to address physical security at critical facilities (Reliability Standards for Physical Security Measures, Docket No. RD14-6-000).  The new standards will require owners and operators of Bulk Power System assets to perform a three-step process to identify critical facilities, assess physical security threats and vulnerabilities risks to such facilities, and implement appropriate security plans.  At each of the three steps in the process, owners and operators will be required to obtain third-party verification and review. Background on the March 7... READ MORE

Final Environmental Analysis for Keystone XL Pipeline Project...

On January 31, 2014, the U.S. Department of State (State Department) released its Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the Keystone XL Pipeline Project (Project), an 875-mile pipeline that would transport up to 830,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Morgan, Montana, at the U.S.-Canada border to Steele City, Nebraska. (A history of the Project and prior environmental reviews is described in Chapter 1.1 of the FSEIS.) The FSEIS includes arguably the most comprehensive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis of climate change impacts associated with an infrastructure project ever undertaken by a federal agency, and could influence future agency NEPA analyses for large infrastructure projects. While the... READ MORE

President Reaffirms Support for "All-of-the-Above" Energy Policy...

In his sixth State of the Union Address, President Obama reaffirmed his support for an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy to achieve U.S. energy independence and announced that he would use his authority under existing law to expedite federal permitting of energy infrastructure, impose limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and take other actions to support his energy policy. The full text of the President’s speech is available here.  This alert will focus on important elements of the President’s energy and environmental message  that  will be of interest to clients in the electricity, natural gas, oil, transportation, renewable energy, and natural resources sectors of our economy. Support for Natural Gas The President touted... READ MORE

Electric Utility Rate Cases

Richard Bonnifield will provide an update and recent case studies on issues of quantifying and recovering costs of integrating Variable Energy Resources (VERs): PacifiCorp and Puget Sound Energy Inc., Is there a prevailing approach?  What is the impact of recent FERC proceedings? This conference marks the 10th year that recognized experts in utilities, regulation, and customer interests have gathered to examine and discuss the pitfalls and possibilities of the challenges currently facing the utility industry.  The conference aims to generate thoughtful and engaging discussion on emerging issues in the ratemaking process. For more information on this event, click here. READ MORE

Pipeline Safety Seminar

Van Ness Feldman is a proud sponsor of the upcoming Pipeline Safety Seminar, presented by the Marcellus Shale Coalition.  Keith Coyle will serve as moderator of the featured panel, and Susan Olenchuk will be speaking.   Michael O'Neill will also be attending. The seminar will include a series of presentations on current issues in pipeline safety, including an overview of the federal and state regulatory programs, a discussion of the regulations for gas and hazardous liquid gathering lines and the special concerns that arise for legacy pipeline systems, and a review of the various pipeline-safety-related reporting obligations that apply to operators. ​​​The seminar will also include a panel discussion consisting of state regulators from West... READ MORE

27th Annual Campus Energy Conference

Van Ness Feldman is a proud sponsor of the International District Energy Association's 27th Annual Campus Energy Conference.  This IDEA conference titled, "Clean, Efficient & Resilient Energy," will feature discussions on how campus energy systems provide highly efficient, sustainable and reliable energy services supporting mission critical operations on college, university, healthcare campuses and military bases while also strengthening the local economy by cutting emissions and reducing strain on the regional power grid. Van Ness Feldman's Shelley Fidler and T.C. Richmond are co-presenting on  "Building Campus and Community Energy Systems: A Checklist Approach for Planning District Energy CHP and Microgrids," a paper which was prepared for the... READ MORE

Van Ness Feldman Elects Six New Partners

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Van Ness Feldman is pleased to announce that Lawrence Acker, Amy Beizer, James Curry, Duncan Greene, Brian O’Neill, and Julia Wood have been elected to the partnership, effective January 1, 2014.   The six new partners represent a cross-section of both seasoned and up-and-coming professionals and reflect the firm’s depth in the energy and environmental sectors.   Richard Agnew, Chairman of Van Ness Feldman said, “I am proud of the accomplishments of this talented group of individuals.  They have demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to our clients and the firm and their collective business acumen is unmatched.   We welcome them to the partnership.” To learn more about our newest partners, please click on the individuals name... READ MORE

Norm Dicks Honored with "Norm Dicks Visitor Center" at Nisqually...

Former Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) and current Senior Policy Counsel at Van Ness Feldman has been honored by his former colleagues in Congress with their proposal to name the visitor center at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge on Washington's Puget Sound the "Norm Dicks Visitor Center." Dicks, who retired last year as the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, was known as a champion for conservation funding and oversaw the largest budget increase in the history of the National Wildlife Refuge System. "I deeply appreciate my colleagues thinking of me," said Dicks.  "I worked very hard over 25 years on Nisqually." The refuge, which was established in 1974 and restored by the removal of dikes in 2009, is the largest estuary... READ MORE

Van Ness Feldman Named "Best Law Firm" in Multiple Categories for 2014

Van Ness Feldman is pleased to announce the firm has again been named a “Best Law Firm” in Energy, Environment, Government Relations, Land-Use & Zoning, Litigation (environmental), Native American, Natural Resources, Real Estate and Water Law in rankings released this month by US News & World Report and Best Lawyers. The firm is also pleased to announce that its Oil & Gas practice has received an inaugural national ranking.  The firm now boasts four practice areas ranked as Tier 1 nationally.  Firm Chairman Richard Agnew commenting on the rankings said, “It is an honor to have the collective work of our professionals in the firm’s core practice areas recognized among the best in the country by the clients we serve and by our peers in the legal... READ MORE