Appellate Briefs

D.C. Cir. Nos. 20-1104 and 20-1356 Order denying complaint and on initial decision, concerning alleged off-system sales that Entergy Arkansas made (1) in 2000, from its share of Grand Gulf, and (2) from 2000 to 2005, as Opportunity Sales that were later converted to Joint Account Sales.  Louisiana Pub. Serv. Comm’n v. Entergy Corp., 169 FERC ¶ 61,113 (2019), order on reh’g, 172 FERC ¶ 61,056 (2020); Louisiana Public Serv. Comm’n v. Entergy Corp., 165 FERC ¶ 61,022 (2018), reh’denied, 169 FERC ¶ 61,179 (2019).  

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1161, et al. Order authorizing Jordan Cove Energy Project to site, construct, and operate a liquefied natural gas export terminal and associated facilities in Coos County, Oregon, and authorizing Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline to construct and operate a new interstate natural gas pipeline system in Klamath, Jackson, Douglas, and Coos Counties, Oregon.  Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P., and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, L.P., 170 FERC ¶ 61,202 (2020), order on reh’g, 171 FERC ¶ 61,136 (2020).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1206, et al. Certificate order authorizing Adelphia Gateway LLC to acquire, construct and operate natural gas pipeline facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  Adelphia Gateway, LLC, 169 FERC ¶ 61,220 (2019), reh’g denied, 171 FERC ¶ 61,049 (2020).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1286, et al. Order rejecting wholesale power supply contracts, subject to Mobile-Sierra “public interest” standard of review, without prejudice.  Wabash Valley Power Ass'n, Inc., 171 FERC ¶ 61,073 (2020), order on reh’g, 172 FERC ¶ 61,177 (2020).

D.C. No. 20-1324 Order, following evidentiary hearing and ALJ initial decision, concerning ratemaking (including return on equity) disputes relating to a project (the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline Project) that was ordered and later cancelled by PJM.  Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, LLC, et al., Opinion No. 554, 158 FERC ¶ 61,050 (2017), on reh’g, Op. No. 554-A, 170 FERC ¶ 61,050 (2020), on reh’g, Op. No. 554-B, 172 FERC ¶ 61,048 (2020).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1156 Order addressing complaints challenging the results of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s 2015/16 Planning Resource Auction for Local Resource Zone 4, and alleging exercise of market power.  Public Citizen, Inc., et al. v. Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., 168 FERC ¶ 61,042 (2019), reh’g denied, 170 FERC ¶ 61,227 (2020).

D.C. Cir. Nos. 20-1084 and 20-1297 Order, following evidentiary hearing and ALJ initial decision, concerning whether PG&E will unreasonably deny service to San Francisco upon expiration of the 1987 Interconnection Agreement between the parties.  City and County of San Francisco v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Opinion No. 568, 169 FERC ¶ 61,128 (2019), order on reh’g, 171 FERC ¶ 61,196 (2020).

D.C. Cir. Nos. 20-1033, et al. Approval of contested settlement, following court remands, of the assignment of cost responsibility for transmission facilities that operate at or above 500 kilovolts.  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 163 FERC ¶ 61,168 (2018), reh’g denied, 169 FERC ¶ 61,238 (2019), reh’g dismissed, 171 FERC ¶ 61,161 (2020).  

S. Ct. No. 19-1039 Amicus brief of the United States and FERC in support of vacating on jurisdictional grounds or reversing on the merits a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit related to condemnation suits filed by PennEast against the State of New Jersey pursuant to a FERC certificate under the Natural Gas Act.

D.C. Cir. Nos. 20-1512, et al.  Response to Emergency Motion for Stay.  Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, Order Granting Requests for Extension of Time, 173 FERC ¶ 61,026 (Oct. 9, 2020); Order Partially Lifting Stop Work Order and Allowing Certain Construction to Proceed, 173 FERC ¶ 61,027 (Oct. 9, 2020); and Order Partially Lifting Stop Work Orders and Allowing Certain Construction to Resume, 173 FERC ¶ 61,252 (Dec. 17, 2020) 

D.C. Cir. No. 20-5203 Appeal of federal district court (D.D.C. Judge Boasberg) dismissal, for lack of jurisdiction, of challenge by landowners to exercise of eminent domain authority by Mountain Valley Pipeline, alleging improper delegation of eminent domain authority from Congress to FERC under Natural Gas Act and improper sub-delegation from FERC to private entities.  

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1212 Order accepting quadrennial revision of PJM’s Variable Resource Requirement (VRR) Curve used in the Reliability Pricing Model (RPM).  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 167 FERC ¶ 61,029 (2019), reh’g denied, 171 FERC ¶ 61,040 (2020).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1421 Response in opposition to motion for summary remand of order concerning challenge to cost allocation methodology for certain transmission projects, where rehearing was denied by operation of law.  Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., Order Denying Complaint, 172 FERC ¶ 61,099 (2020), and Notice of Denial of Rehearing by Operation of Law, 172 FERC ¶ 62,179 (2020).  

4th Cir. No. 20-1655 and 20-1671 Order issuing license to operate and maintain the Bynum Hydroelectric Project and determining, in part, that North Carolina waived its authority to issue a water quality certification pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.  McMahan Hydroelectric, LLC, 168 FERC ¶ 61,185 (2019), reh’g denied, 171 FERC ¶ 61,046 (2020).  

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1440 Motion to dismiss appeal of Order dismissing requests for new avoided cost rate under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ("PURPA").  Gregory and Beverly Swecker v. Midland Power Coop., et al., “Order Dismissing Requests,” 170 FERC ¶ 61,289 (2020), reconsideration denied, 171 FERC ¶ 61,193 (2020).

S. Ct. No. 19-1039 Amicus brief of the United States and FERC in support of granting PennEast’s petition for certiorari of a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit related to condemnation suits filed by PennEast pursuant to a FERC certificate under the Natural Gas Act.

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1062, et al. Order on voluntary remand (from Xcel v. FERC, D.C. Cir. 18-1005), reversing prior decision and now denying SPP a waiver of various tariff provisions to allow SPP to implement previously-approved revenue crediting procedures relating to network upgrades; direction to SPP to provide refunds.  Southwest Power Pool, Inc., 166 FERC ¶ 61,160(2019), order on reh’g & clar., 170 FERC ¶ 61,125 (2020).  

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1016, et al. Certificate to construct and operate Spire pipeline project in southwest Illinois and eastern Missouri. Spire STL Pipeline LLC, 164 FERC ¶ 61,085 (2018), order on reh’g, 169 FERC ¶ 61,134 (2019).

D.C. Cir. 20-1132 Order authorizing construction and operation of a new 2.1-mile pipeline loop and replacement compressor units in Hampden County, Massachusetts.  Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., 169 FERC ¶ 61,230 (2019), reh’g denied, 170 FERC ¶ 61,142 (2020).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1093 and 20-1094 Order authorizing construction and operation of facilities for the liquefaction and export of domestically-produced natural gas at proposed liquefied natural gas terminal on both the north side and south side of the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas.  Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC, et al., 169 FERC ¶ 61,132 (2019), on reh’g, 170 FERC ¶ 61,140 (2020); Texas Brownsville LNG, LLC, 169 FERC ¶ 61,130 (2019), on reh’g, 170 FERC ¶ 61,139 (2020).