Appellate Briefs

No. 18-1298 Order rejecting proposed revisions to BG&E formula transmission rate, seeking to recover previously-incurred tax amounts. PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 161 FERC ¶ 61,163 (2017), order on reh’g & clar., 164 FERC ¶ 61,173 (2018).   D.C. Cir.

Delaware Riverkeeper Network, et al. v. FERC Nos. 18-1128, et al. Conditional certificate authorizing construction and operation of the PennEast Pipeline in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PennEast Pipeline Co., LLC, 162 FERC ¶ 61,053 (2018), order on reh’g, 164 FERC ¶ 61,098 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

INEOS USA LLC v. FERC and USofA Nos. 18-1081 and 18-1200 Orders on tariff revisions; finding that certain revisions are outside FERC jurisdiction (abandonments of service) or do not raise material issues of fact requiring suspension or hearing. Leveret Pipeline Co. and Mid-America Pipeline Co., 160 FERC ¶ 62,020 (2017), order on tariff filings and denying reh’g, 162 FERC ¶ 61,038 (2018), reh’g denied, 163 FERC ¶ 61,180 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

City of Mackinac Island v. FERC No. 18-983 Opposition to a petition for a writ of certiorari seeking Supreme Court review of the D.C. Circuit decision in Verso Corp. v. FERC, 898 F.3d 1 (D.C. Cir. 2018), affirming FERC orders on refunds and surcharges of previously-allocated costs associated with the operation of System Support Resource generating units, located in the American Transmission Co. service territory, under the MISO tariff. Pub. Serv. Comm’n of Wisc. v. Midcontinent Indep. Sys. Oper., Inc., et al., order on complaint & reh’g, 148 FERC ¶ 61,071 (2014), order on reh’g & compl., 150 FERC ¶ 61,104 (2015), order on reh’g & clar., 156 FERC ¶ 61,205 (2016); order on tariff rev’ns, 152 FERC ¶ 61,216 (2015), order on reh’g & compl., 155 FERC ¶ 61,134 (2016). [Brief filed by the Solicitor General of the United States]. Circuit S. Ct.

City of Oberlin, et al. v. FERC Nos. 18-1248 and 18-1261 Conditional certificate authorizing construction and operation of NEXUS pipeline project in Ohio and Michigan. NEXUS Gas Transmission LLC, et al., 160 FERC ¶ 61,022 (2017), order on reh’g, 164 FERC ¶ 61,054 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. v. FERC No. 16-1433 Response in opposition to petition for rehearing of court’s 1/15/19 decision, affirming (by 2-1 vote) FERC orders on recovery of development and construction costs associated with transmission upgrade (SOCRE project), if abandoned or cancelled for reasons beyond SDG&E’s control. San Diego Gas & Electric Co., 154 FERC ¶ 61,158 (2016), reh’g denied, 157 FERC ¶ 61,056 (2016). Circuit D.C. Cir.

FERC v. Powhatan Energy Fund, et al. No. 18-2326 Appeal from 9/24/18 district court ruling (Judge Lauck, E.D. Va.), denying motion to dismiss, that FERC enforcement action is not barred by federal statute of limitations. Circuit 4th Cir.

El Paso Natural Gas Co. v. FERC No. 18-1183 Orders, following hearing and ALJ decision, on various ratemaking issues (raised by both pipeline and shippers) in El Paso general rate case. El Paso Natural Gas Co., Op. No. 528, 145 FERC ¶ 61,040 (2013), order on reh’g and compl., 154 FERC ¶ 61,120 (2016), order on compl. and reh’g, 163 FERC ¶ 61,079 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

In re: Siskiyou County Water Users Ass’n No. 18-1316 Response in opposition to petition for a writ of mandamus, seeking to direct the Commission to act immediately on 4/24/18 motion to dismiss (for lack of FERC jurisdiction) application to transfer Klamath River hydroelectric project license for the purpose of removing lower Klamath River dams. Circuit D.C. Cir.

Lori Birckhead, et al. v. FERC No. 18-1218 Order authorizing construction and operation of gas compression facilities in Kentucky, Tennessee, and W. Virginia, referred to as the Broad Run Expansion Project. Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., L.L.C., 156 FERC ¶ 61,157 (2016), reh’g denied, 163 FERC ¶ 61,190 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Otsego 2000, et al. v. FERC No. 18-1188 Order authorizing construction and operation of certain compression and related natural gas facilities (the New Market Project) in various counties within New York. Dominion Transmission, Inc., 155 FERC ¶ 61,106 (2016), reh’g denied, 163 FERC ¶ 61,128 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Missouri River Energy Services v. FERC No. 18-1166 Finding that Missouri River, Basin Electric, and Heartland are not eligible for an exemption from congestion charges and marginal losses (carve-out treatment) under the Southwest Power Pool open access tariff. Southwest Power Pool, Inc., 160 FERC ¶ 61,115 (2017), reh’g denied, 163 FERC ¶ 61,063 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Southwest Airlines Co., et al. v. FERC No. 18-1134, 18-1136, 18-1137 and 18-1138 Orders on complaints by shippers concerning index rate increases for certain SFPP lines. HollyFrontier Refining & Marketing LLC, et al. v. SFPP, L.P., 149 FERC ¶ 61,097 (2014), on reh’g, 157 FERC ¶ 61,186 (2016), on reh’g, 162 FERC ¶ 61,232 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Appalachian Voices, et al. v. FERC (Addendum) Nos. 17-1271, et al. Conditional certificate authorizing construction and operation of Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia and Virginia. Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, 161 FERC ¶ 61,043 (2017), order on reh’g, 163 FERC ¶ 61,197 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Appalachian Voices, et al. v. FERC (Brief) Nos. 17-1271, et al. Conditional certificate authorizing construction and operation of Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia and Virginia. Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, 161 FERC ¶ 61,043 (2017), order on reh’g, 163 FERC ¶ 61,197 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Orus Ashby Berkley, et al. v. FERC, et al. No. 18-561 Response in opposition to petition for certiorari seeking review of Berkley v. FERC, 896 F.3d 624 (4th Cir. 2018). The Fourth Circuit decision affirmed a district court dismissal of constitutional claims concerning the Commission’s certification of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, 161 FERC ¶ 61,043 and 163 FERC ¶ 61,197. [Brief filed by the Solicitor General of the United States]. Circuit S. Ct.

Adorers of the Blood of Christ, United States Province, et al. v. FERC, et al. No. 18-548 Response in opposition to petition for certiorari seeking review of Adorers of the Blood of Christ v. FERC, 897 F.3d 187 (3d Cir. 2018). The Third Circuit decision affirmed a district court dismissal of religious exercise claims concerning the Commission’s certification of the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline, 160 FERC ¶ 61,125 (2017) and 161 FERC ¶ 61,250 (2017). [Brief filed by the Solicitor General of the United States]. Circuit S. Ct.

Enable Mississippi River Transmission, et al. and SFPP, L.P. v. FERC Nos. 18-1252 and 18-1254 Reply in support of motion to dismiss. Inquiry Regarding the Commission’s Policy for Recovery of Income Tax Costs, 162 FERC ¶ 61,227 (2018), order on reh’g, 164 FERC ¶ 61,030 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Delaware Riverkeeper, et al. v. FERC No. 18-1108 Conditional certificate authorizing construction and operation of pipeline facilities (the Orion Project) in Pennsylvania. Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., L.L.C., 158 FERC ¶ 61,110 (2017), reh’g denied, 162 FERC ¶ 61,167 (2018). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Old Dominion Electric Cooperative v. FERC No. 18-333 Response in opposition to petition for certiorari, seeking Supreme Court review of 6/25/18 decision of the D.C. Circuit, Old Dominion Elec. Coop. v. FERC, 892 F.3d 1223 (D.C. Cir. 2018). The D.C. Circuit decision upheld the Commission’s denial of a petition for waiver, seeking recovery of natural gas costs associated with Jan. 2014 cold weather. Old Dominion Elec. Coop., 151 FERC ¶ 61,207 (2015), reh’g denied, 154 FERC ¶ 61,155 (2016). [Brief filed by the Solicitor General of the United States]. Circuit S. Ct.