Susan A. Olenchuk

Member

Susan Olenchuk focuses on natural gas regulatory, policy and transactional matters; pipeline safety; compliance, audits, and enforcement; and hydroelectric licensing.  

In her natural gas practice, Ms. Olenchuk advises on an array of federal regulatory compliance and policy matters arising under the Natural Gas Act and the Natural Gas Policy Act in administrative proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and in appellate litigation before the courts of appeals. These matters involve rulemakings, pipeline rate and tariff issues, and pipeline certificates and construction. Ms. Olenchuk also counsels natural gas pipelines and electric transmission providers on compliance and implementation issues arising under FERC’s affiliate Standards of Conduct, and assists them in developing effective compliance plans.

Ms. Olenchuk also counsels oil and gas pipelines with respect to pipeline safety issues under the Pipeline Safety Act.  She assists pipelines in ensuring compliance and in developing appropriate strategies in response to enforcement actions.  In addition, she helps gas pipelines obtain Special Permits from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to enable the use of new technology and improved materials in the design and construction of new pipelines. 

With respect to her hydroelectric practice, Ms. Olenchuk assists non-federal licensees on regulatory matters before FERC and the courts of appeals. In particular, she helps clients on issues affecting FERC-licensed dams under several federal statutes, including the Federal Power Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Professional and Civic Affiliations

• Energy Bar Association. Ms. Olenchuk serves on the Board of Directors of the Energy Bar Association as the Assistant Treasurer. She also has served on the Board of Directors of the Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association.
• American Bar Association

Publications

Theresa I. Zolet & Susan A. Moore, The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, Energy Law Journal, Volume 24, No. 1 (2003).

Report of the Judicial Review Committee, Energy Law Journal, Volume 27, No. 1 (2006) (contributing author)

Susan A. Moore, Hydro Licensing and the Endangered Species Act:  Implications of FERC’s Current Approach, Hydro Review, Volume XXVI, No. 3 (June 2007) (received the Author’s Award as the article ranked No. 1 by readers).