Regulation

United States Tightens Sanctions Against Russian Financial, Defense, and Energy Sectors

By Cristina Brayton-Lewis, Richard Burke, Claire DeLelle, Nicole Erb, Genevra Forwood, Tanya Hanna, James R.M. Killick, Sara Nordin, Charlotte Van Haute, Fabienne Vermeeren, Kristina Zissis| White & Case LLP

Temperatures Plunge In Moscow

On September 12, 2014, the United States issued another round of targeted sanctions against the Russian financial, defense, and energy sectors. Today’s measures were a combination of new measures and modifications of prior measures issued pursuant to Executive Order 13662 (EO 13662), including:

– Financial Services Sector – Directive 1 has been modified to further restrict prohibited “new debt” with a maturity exceeding 30 days.

– Defense Sector – New Directive 3 prohibits “new debt” with a maturity exceeding 30 days issued by listed defense companies.

 /  Published September 17, 2014 at 4:00 PM

New Solar Power Tower Backed in California; ‘Knowledge Will only Come Through the Experience,” Regulators Say

By Pete Danko

Massive Solar Electricity Plant Provides Power To California Homes

It’s Palen, not Palin, but it’s still proving to be controversial and unpredictable. Seemingly dead in December, then indicted in the press last month as a likely wanton bird incinerator, the Palen Solar Electric Generating System now looks like it might get the go-ahead. A California Energy Commission committee recommended approval of a scaled-down version… Keep reading →

 /  Published September 17, 2014 at 12:00 PM

Governor Cuomo’s BuildSmart NY: Prudent Fiscal Policy Aligning with Long-term Environmental Sustainability

By Gil C. Quiniones

SUNY Albany Liberty Residence Hall 1484_b(1) (2)

  Sometimes a great idea is embraced because it is well-designed to achieve one particular purpose. At other times, its success is attributed to its ability to achieve a variety of different goals simultaneously. BuildSmart NY is in the latter category, as its different components merge prudent fiscal policy, sustainability and environmental protection. At the… Keep reading →

 /  Published September 16, 2014 at 12:00 PM

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Releases “Evaluation of Risk-Based Decision Making” With Public Comment Open Until September 30, 2014

By Christopher McCormack | Pullman & Comley, LLC

The EPA Proposes Stricter Standards For Smog Limit

On August 29, 2014, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released “Evaluation of Risk-based Decision Making,” a report prepared by CDM Smith under contract to the state. DEEP has now announced that it will accept public comments until September 30, 2014, and will take the report and comments into account in formulating next steps in the multi-year initiative to “transform” Connecticut’s approach to remediating contaminated sites.

The report was prompted by a controversial proposal in the 2013 legislative session to lower the thresholds for requiring “significant environmental hazard” reports concerning contaminated properties. Although a version of that proposal was enacted as part of Public Act 13-308, the General Assembly also directed DEEP to “engage independent experts” to evaluate and recommend best practices in risk-based decision making for site remediation. DEEP must consider the resulting report and make recommendations for statutory and regulatory changes, specifically including the significant environmental hazard statute.

 /  Published September 15, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Looking Beyond EU Energy Policy

By Janez Potočnik/Global Energy Affairs

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For Europe energy has always been at the top of its political agenda but despite the many achievements in strengthening its infrastructure and diversifying its suppliers, the EU remains vulnerable to energy shocks and disruptions to energy supplies. One could argue that it is inevitable as the EU is a highly import dependent country. Today… Keep reading →

 /  Published September 15, 2014 at 2:00 PM

Energy News Roundup: Writing on the Wall for Utilities, Big Week for House Energy Votes, Oil Price Plunge Continues

By

Conditions Ripe Along Southern Andreas Fault For Major Quake, Study Finds

Using Germany as an example, this article investigates the changing utility business model in the face of rapidly expanding renewable energy sources and other trends that are eating into utility company bottom lines. “A reckoning is at hand, and nowhere is that clearer than in Germany. Even as the country sets records nearly every month… Keep reading →

 /  Published September 15, 2014 at 9:42 AM

California Energy Commission Delays Compliance With Energy Disclosure Program For Smaller Nonresidential Buildings

By Sharona Toobian | Perkins Coie

Obama To Deliver Major Climate Change Speech

The California Energy Commission (CEC) implemented the Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure Program in two phases. The first phase took effect on January 1, 2014 and applies to nonresidential buildings of at least 10,000 square feet. While the second phase, which imposes disclosure requirements for nonresidential buildings of at least 5,000 square feet, was supposed to take effect on July 1, 2014, this disclosure timeline was just delayed two years. The CEC recently announced that the compliance date for the second phase has been pushed from July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2016.

 /  Published September 12, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Merits of Oil Exports are Clear

By Energy Tomorrow Blog

Crude Oil Carrier Hijacked By Somali Pirates

A new report from Brookings’ Energy Security Initiative adds more scholarly weight to the analytical case for lifting America’s decades-old ban on crude oil exports. Echoing earlier studies by IHS and ICF International, the Brookings research finds that allowing the export of domestic crude would stimulate more oil production here at home, provide broad economic benefits and strengthen U.S. energy… Keep reading →

 /  Published September 12, 2014 at 2:00 PM

U.S., EU Impose Sector-Specific Sanctions Against Russia

By Christine Savage, Iain MacVay, Mark Wasden, Jane Cohen, Sajid Ahmed, Shannon Doyle Barna, Clint Long | King & Spalding

Moscow Travel Destination

Recently the United States and the EU imposed additional targeted sanctions against Russia in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Although previous sanctions issued by the U.S. and EU since March 2014 affect various sectors of the Russian economy, including Russia’s military industrial complex, the most recent sanctions target Russia’s financial and energy sectors.

U.S. Sanctions

Since March 2014, the United States has imposed visa bans on certain government officials and blocked property and interests in property of certain persons and entities that are stated to contribute to the situation in Ukraine. The most recent sanctions imposed restrictions on exports and re-exports of oil- and gas-related items for deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale projects in Russia. These sanctions have been imposed primarily by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”).

 /  Published September 11, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Energy News Roundup: Bakken Oil Flammability, Companies Vulnerable to Internal Threats and New LNG Export Approvals

By

Kazakhstan Oil Industry Is Booming

Members of the House Space, Science and Technology Committee discussed Bakken crude oil properties during a subcommittee hearing held as part of the effort to craft new rail tank car regulations. “None of these other oils are shipping in volumes that this Bakken shale oil is being shipped,” he [Timothy Butters, deputy administrator for the… Keep reading →

 /  Published September 11, 2014 at 7:30 AM
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