On June 16, 2011, Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) announced his decision to resign his seat from the U.S. House of Representatives.  This announcement comes after weeks of scandal and calls for his resignation, including from President Barack Obama.  Weiner’s resignation opens up one of 23 Democratic seats on the House…

On June 16, 2011, FERC denied the appeals of Cedar Creek Wind Energy, LLC (“Cedar Creek”) and Milford Wind Corridor Phase I, LLC (“Milford”) because the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (“WECC”) registered both wind facilities as transmission owners and operators, subjecting the facilities to mandatory reliability standards. 

On June 3, 2011, the California 1st District Court of Appeal (“Appeals Court”) granted consideration of the California Air Resources Board’s (“CARB”) petition to overturn the decision of Judge Ernest Goldsmith of the San Francisco Superior Court of California (see May 27, 2011 edition of the WER).

On June 6, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) released a Notice of Proposed Communications with the Department of Justice (“DOJ”).  This action was prompted by the potential merger of Duke Energy Corporation and Progress Energy, Inc. (see January 13, 2011 edition of the WER). 

On June 3, 2011, the United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, held a hearing on H.R. 909, A Roadmap for America’s Energy Future, sponsored by Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA).  While H.R. 909 includes provisions that address issues like the Outer Continental Shelf, oil shale, nuclear concerns, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (“ANWR”), and Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas regulations, much of the discussion during the hearing focused on the reverse auction proposal contained in the bill. 

On June 3, 2011, FERC issued an order (the “Order”) accepting and suspending PJM Interconnection L.L.C.’s (“PJM”) proposed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (“OATT”) and Reliability Assurance Agreement Among Load Serving Entities in the PJM Region (“Reliability Assurance Agreement”).  In its Order, the Commission accepted and suspended PJM’s proposed changes for a five month period, to be effective November 7, 2011, subject to refund, and to the outcome of a technical conference and a further order of the Commission.