Appellate Briefs

ExxonMobil Gas & Power Mrktg. Co. v. FERC No. 10-1098 Acceptance and suspension of, and hearing on, limited rate filing to establish a mechanism to record and recover hurricane-related costs not recovered from insurance proceeds or third parties (Hurricane Surcharge). Sea Robin Pipeline Co., LLC, 128 FERC ¶ 61,286 (2009), order on reh’g, 130 FERC ¶ 61,191 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Alabama Municipal Electric Auth. v. FERC No. 10-1141 Denial of complaint that rates under the Southern Company open access transmission tariff, based on Southern’s system average costs, are unduly discriminatory in comparison to transmission component, based on Alabama Power’s individual costs, of bundled retail service charge. Municipal Electric Authority v. Alabama Power Co. and Southern Co. Services, Inc., 119 FERC ¶ 61,286 (2007), reh’g denied, 131 FERC ¶ 61,101 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Indiana Utility Regulatory Comm'n v. FERC No. 10-1313 Participation of retail customers in PJM’s demand response program; whether local utility or retail aggregator certifies eligibility for program. PJM Interconnection, LLC, 128 FERC ¶ 61,238 (2009), order on reh'g & compl., 131 FERC ¶ 61,069 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Texas Pipeline Ass’n, et al. v. FERC Nos. 10-60066 et al. Regulations under new section 23 of the Natural Gas Act concerning obligation of pipelines, including intrastate pipelines, to post daily scheduled volume information and other data for certain points, to facilitate price transparency in FERC-regulated markets. Pipeline Posting Requirements Under Section 23 of the Natural Gas Act, Order No. 720, 73 Fed. Reg. 73,494, 125 FERC ¶ 61,211 (2008), order on reh’g & clar., Order No. 720-A, 130 FERC ¶ 61,040 (2010). Circuit 5th Cir.

Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, et al. and Defenders of Wildlife, et al. v. FERC Nos. 10-1389 and 10-1047 Emergency motion for stay denied. Circuit D.C. Cir.

George Jepson, AG of Conn. v. FERC No. 10-1104 ISO-New England’s collection of administrative costs for calendar year 2010, including executive compensation and salary structure. ISO New England, Inc., 129 FERC ¶ 61,299 (2009), reh’g denied, 130 FERC ¶ 61,236 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

County of Butte, Cal. v. FERC No. 10-70140 Denial of complaint that California DWR, licensee for the Oroville Project in Butte County, California, was in violation of recreation and public safety requirements of its hydroelectric license. County of Butte, Cal. v. Cal. Dept. of Water Resources, 128 FERC ¶ 61,068 (2009), reh'g denied, 129 FERC ¶ 61,133 (2009). Circuit 9th Cir.

Texas Pipeline Ass'n, et al. v. FERC Nos. 10-60066, et al. Regulations under new section 23 of the Natural Gas Act concerning obligation of pipelines, including intrastate pipelines, to post daily scheduled volume information and other data for certain points, to facilitate price transparency in FERC-regulated markets. Pipeline Posting Requirements Under Section 23 of the Natural Gas Act, Order No. 720, 73 Fed. Reg. 73,494, 125 FERC ¶ 61,211 (2008), order on reh'g & clar., Order No. 720-A, 130 FERC ¶ 61,040 (2010). Circuit 5th Cir.

Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, et al. v. FERC Nos. 10-1389 and 10-1407 Opposition to motion for stay of pipeline construction pending judicial review. Circuit D.C. Cir.

Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General for the State of CT, et al. and Public Citizen, Inc., et al. Nos. 08-74439 and 08-74443 Rulemaking codifying and, in certain respects, modifying FERC standards for obtaining and retaining market-based rates for public utilities, at 18 CFR Part 35, Subpart H; consistency of market-based rate program with statutory requirements of advance notice and filing and just and reasonable rates. Market-Based Rates for Wholesale Sales of Electric Energy by Public Utilities, Order No. 697, 119 FERC ¶ 61,295 (2007), order on reh'g and clar.,123 FERC ¶ 61,055 (2008). Circuit 9th Cir.

Petersburg Municipal Power & Light v. FERC No. 10-1096 Issuance of preliminary permit to City of Angoon, after lottery to select among same-day filings by multiple applicants, to study Ruth Lake Project in Alaska. City of Angoon, Alaska, et al., 129 FERC ¶ 62,101 (2009), reh'g denied, 130 FERC ¶ 61,219 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

MarkWest Michigan Pipeline Co. v. FERC No. 10-1075 Rejection of indexed rate increase for oil pipeline that is inconsistent with 2006 settlement and applicable regulations. MarkWest Michigan Pipeline Co., L.L.C., 126 FERC ¶ 61,300 (2009), reh’g denied, 130 FERC ¶ 61,084 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Alcoa Power Generating Inc. v. FERC No. 10-1066 Denial of petition for declaratory order, finding that State of North Carolina timely acted on application for Clean Water Act section 401 water quality certification within one year. Alcoa Power Generating Inc., 129 FERC ¶ 61,028 (2009), reh'g denied, 130 FERC ¶ 61,037 (2010). Circuit D.C. Cir.

New York Regional Interconnect v. FERC No. 09-1309 Conditional acceptance of New York ISO transmission planning process, submitted in compliance with Order No. 890; eligibility of new transmission projects for cost allocation and recovery. New York Indep. System Operator, Inc., 125 FERC ¶ 61,068 (2008), order on reh'g, 126 FERC ¶ 61,320 (2009), order on reh'g, 129 FERC ¶ 61,045 (2009). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Dynegy Midwest Generation, et al. v. FERC Nos. 09-1306, et al. Acceptance of Schedule 2-A, revising Midwest ISO open access transmission tariff to institute zone-based compensation to transmission owners for reactive power. Midwest ISO Transmission Owners, 122 FERC ¶ 61,305 (2008), reh'g denied, 129 FERC ¶ 61,041 (2009). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Northern Natural Gas Co. v. FERC No. 09-1252 Order on remand from Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Co. v. FERC, 513 F.3d 242 (D.C. Cir. 2008), finding that, in light of settlements, Burlington need not refund Kansas ad valorem taxes to pipelines on sales of natural gas, and that pipelines must return refunds paid back to Burlington (and cannot recover those amounts from pipeline customers). Burlington Res. Oil & Gas Co. and Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co., 123 FERC ¶ 61,151 (2008), reh’g denied, 128 FERC ¶ 61,151 (2009). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Brian Hunter v. FERC No. 10-1017 Latest appeal objecting to the FERC’s jurisdiction to investigate whether a natural person (Hunter) who traded natural gas futures contracts, having a direct effect on the price of natural gas, violated the FERC’s anti-market manipulation regulations under 18 C.F.R. § 1c.1, implementing section 4A of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. § 717c-1. Brian Hunter, 130 FERC ¶ 61,030 (2010) (order denying reh’g), and earlier orders. Circuit D.C. Cir.

City of Idaho Falls, Idaho, et al. v. FERC Nos. 09-1120, et al. Updated list of charges hydropower licensees must pay for their use of federal lands; whether Commission erred in failing to initiate new notice and comment rulemaking. Update of the FERC's Fee Schedule for Annual Charges for the Use of Government Lands, 74 Fed. Reg. 8184 (Feb. 24, 2009), reh'g denied, 129 FERC ¶ 61,095 (2009). Circuit D.C. Cir.

L.S. Starrett Co. v. FERC No. 10-1470 Finding that rehabilitation of Starrett's Crescent Street Dam Project in Worcester County, Mass., adding generating/turbine capacity of project, requires FERC license. L.S. Starrett Co., 129 FERC ¶ 62,053 (2009), reh'g denied, 130 FERC ¶ 61,112 (2010). Circuit 1st Cir.

Transm. Agency of N. Cal., et al. v. FERC Nos. 09-1213, et al. Orders accepting the California ISO's establishing an Integrated Balancing Authority Area made up of SMUD and Turlock, in order to price import and export transactions with those entities consistently with the ISO's Locational Marginal Pricing rate design. California Indep. System Operator Corp., 124 FERC ¶ 61,271 (2008), order on rehearing, 128 FERC ¶ 61,103 (2009). Circuit D.C. Cir.