Appellate Briefs

Sierra Club and Galveston Baykeeper v. FERC No. 14-1275 Order authorizing Freeport LNG to export LNG from existing Quintana Island terminal and to construct and operate related facilities; consideration of project impacts. Freeport LNG Development, et al., 148 FERC ¶ 61,076 (2014), reh’g & clar. denied, 149 FERC ¶ 61,119 (2014). Circuit D.C. Cir.

FERC v. Electric Power Supply Ass’n No. 14-840 Merits brief seeking Supreme Court reversal of May 23, 2014 decision of the D.C. Circuit invalidating Commission rulemaking governing participation by eligible demand response resources in organized wholesale energy markets. Demand Response Compensation in Organized Wholesale Energy Markets, Order No. 745, 134 FERC ¶ 61,187 (2011), order on reh’g, 137 FERC ¶ 61,215 (2011). [Brief filed by the Solicitor General of the United States] Circuit Supreme Ct.

Town of Dedham v. FERC No. 1:15-cv-12352-GAO Motion for preliminary injunction to stop Algonquin construction denied, and motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction (wrong court, wrong time) granted, after 7/13/15 argument). Circuit D. Mass.

EarthReports, Inc. v. FERC No. 15-1127 Commission’s opposition to emergency motion to stay construction of liquefied natural gas export facilities on 59.5 acres and clearing of an additional 190 acres for construction staging. Circuit D.C. Cir.

People of the State of Cal., et al. v. FERC Nos. 13-71276, et al. Orders: (1) on remand from Port of Seattle, Wash. v. FERC, 499 F.3d 1016 (9th Cir. 2007), establishing an evidentiary, trial-type hearing in Pacific Northwest refund proceeding before an ALJ and addressing scope of issues (including Mobile-Sierra issues) for hearing; and (2) approving settlement between Idaho Power, IDACORP, and Powerex Corp., on the condition that settling parties remove settlement provisions precluding potential ripple claims by third-parties. Puget Sound Energy, Inc. v. All Jurisdictional Sellers of Energy and/or Capacity at Wholesale into Electric Energy and/or Capacity Markets in the Pacific Northwest, 137 FERC ¶ 61,001 (2011), order on reh’g, 143 FERC ¶ 61,020 (2013); 146 FERC ¶ 61,123 (2014), reh’g denied, 147 FERC ¶ 61,223 (2014). Circuit 9th Cir.

W. Minn. Municipal Power Agency v. FERC No. 14-1153 Competing applications for preliminary permit to study Saylorville Dam Project in Polk County, Iowa; whether municipal preference should be limited to development of water resources located in the vicinity of the municipality. FFP Qualified Hydro 14, LLC; W. Minn. Mun. Power Agency, 145 FERC ¶ 61,255 (2013), reh’g denied, 147 FERC ¶ 61,233 (2014). Circuit D.C. Cir.

TransCanada Power Mrktg. et al. v. FERC No. 14-1103, et al. Revision to tariff to aid ISO in maintaining winter reliability, by procuring supplemental oil-fired, dual-fired, and demand response resources; bid selection process results. ISO New England, Inc., 144 FERC ¶ 61,204 (2013), reh’g denied, 147 FERC ¶ 61,026 (2014); 145 FERC ¶ 61,023 (2013), reh’g denied, 147 FERC ¶ 61,027 (2014). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC, et al. v. FERC Nos. 13-2326, et al. Interconnection of wind facilities to transmission network and cost responsibility for network upgrades. Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc., 135 FERC ¶ 61,222 (2011), order on reh’g & clar., 143 FERC ¶ 61,050 (2013), order on reh’g & clar., 148 FERC ¶ 61,047 (2014). Circuit 7th Cir.

In Re: Delaware Riverkeeper Network No. 15-1052 Response to petition for stay pending appellate court review of FERC orders granting pipeline certificate. Circuit D.C. Cir.

Colonial Pipeline Co. v. FERC No. 14-1078 Denial of petition for declaratory order, seeking contract rates for certain shippers for existing capacity, priority for excess capacity for contract shippers, and prorationing method for contract shippers. Colonial Pipeline Co., 146 FERC ¶ 61,206 (2014). Circuit D.C. Cir.

FERC v. Electric Power Supply Ass’n No. 14-840 Petition for a writ of certiorari seeking Supreme Court review of May 23, 2014 decision of the D.C. Circuit invalidating Commission rulemaking. Statutory authority to establish the rules governing participation by eligible demand response resources in organized wholesale energy markets. Demand Response Compensation in Organized Wholesale Energy Markets, Order No. 745, 134 FERC ¶ 61,187 (2011), order on reh’g, 137 FERC ¶ 61,215 (2011). [Petition filed by the Solicitor General of the United States] Circuit Supreme Ct.

Louisiana Pub. Serv. Comm’n v. FERC Nos. 12-1282 and 12-1295 Rates to implement first annual bandwidth remedy (rough production cost equalization among Entergy operating companies); various ratemaking issues. Entergy Services, Inc., Opinion No. 505, 130 FERC ¶ 61,023 (2010), order on reh’g & clar., Opinion No. 505-A, 139 FERC ¶ 61,103 (2012), reh’g denied, 145 FERC ¶ 61,046 (2013). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Constellation Energy, et al. v. FERC No. 11-1451 Rate design to address the problem of rate pancaking across the Midwest ISO-PJM seam; development and implementation of Seams Elimination Cost Adjustment (SECA). Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc., and PJM Interconnection, LLC, et al., 131 FERC ¶ 61,173 (2010), reh’g denied, 136 FERC ¶ 61,244 (2011). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Gunpowder Riverkeeper v. FERC No. 14-1062 Commission authorization to construct and operate 21 miles of pipeline and appurtenant facilities in Baltimore and Harford Counties, MD; claimed errors in approval process and adverse effect on private property interests. Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC, 145 FERC ¶ 61,153 (2013), reh’g denied, 146 FERC ¶ 61,116 (2014). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Aera Energy, et al. v. FERC Nos. 13-1138 and 13-1303 General rate case filing by Kern River; inclusion of Master Limited Partnerships in proxy group for determining rate of return, and various Period I and II rate design issues. Kern River Gas Transmission Co., Opinion No. 486, 117 FERC ¶ 61,077 (2006), on reh'g, 123 FERC ¶ 61,056 (2008), on reh’g, 129 FERC ¶ 61,240 (2009), on reh’g, 133 FERC ¶ 61,162 (2010), on initial decision, 136 FERC ¶ 61,045 (2011), on reh’g, 142 FERC ¶ 61,132 (2013). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Aera Energy, et al. v. FERC Nos. 13-1138 and 13-1303 General rate case filing by Kern River; inclusion of Master Limited Partnerships in proxy group for determining rate of return, and various Period I and II rate design issues. Kern River Gas Transmission Co., Opinion No. 486, 117 FERC ¶ 61,077 (2006), on reh'g, 123 FERC ¶ 61,056 (2008), on reh’g, 129 FERC ¶ 61,240 (2009), on reh’g, 133 FERC ¶ 61,162 (2010), on initial decision, 136 FERC ¶ 61,045 (2011), on reh’g, 142 FERC ¶ 61,132 (2013). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Midland Cogen. Venture LP v. FERC No. 12-1224 and 14-1020 Interconnection between Consumers Energy and Midland Cogeneration and assignment of Consumers’ transmission responsibilities to Michigan Electric; disputed filing and payment obligations. Michigan Electric Transmission Co., LLC, 138 FERC ¶ 61,202 (2012), and Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator and Consumers Energy Co., 138 FERC ¶ 61,204 (2012); order on reh’g and clar., 146 FERC ¶ 61,008 (2014). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Oneok, Inc. v. Learjet, Inc. No. 13-271 Merits brief of the United States as amicus curiae concerning review of Ninth Circuit decision holding that that the Natural Gas Act does not preempt state-law antitrust claims targeting manipulation of privately published natural-gas price indices. [Brief filed by the Solicitor General of the United States] Circuit S. Ct.

Pub. Serv. Comm’n of New York v. FERC No. 13-2316 Approval of modifications to definition of “bulk electric system” developed by NERC, and approval of procedures to add or remove facilities from the bulk electric system on a case-by-case basis. Revision to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System and Rules of Procedure, Order No. 773, 141 FERC ¶ 61,236 (2012), order on reh’g and clar., 143 FERC ¶ 61,053 (2013). Circuit 2nd Cir.

Cal. Pub. Utils. Comm’n v. FERC No. 13-74361 Denial of interlocutory appeal of ALJ’s decision not to hold FERC proceeding in abeyance, concerning recovery of wildfire costs from ratepayers, until decision in CPUC proceeding. San Diego Gas & Electric Co., 145 FERC ¶ 61,136 (2013) (rejecting rehearing of decision not to hear interlocutory appeal). Circuit 9th Cir.