In a recently published letter, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard Glick indicated that the commission would strengthen its scrutiny of greenhouse gas emissions when evaluating certificate...more
The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued on June 19, 2020, its Final Rule for publication in the Federal Register. Once the Final Rule takes effect 30...more
According to a recent filing,1 the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is considering recommendations to increase the outer tank shell for the DOT-113 tank car in...more
On October 24, 2019, The U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register following its earlier...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the rollout of its new Clean Water Act Section 401 Guidance for Federal Agencies, States and Authorized Tribes which replaces an April 2010 Interim Guidance...more
6/19/2019
/ Certification Requirements ,
Clean Water Act ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FERC ,
Natural Gas ,
Navigable Waters ,
New Guidance ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Section 401 ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Water Quality
On June 6, 2019, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation (PHMSA) announced the availability for comment of its draft Environmental Assessment for a Special Permit to...more
On April 11, 2019, President Trump signed an Executive Order on Promoting Energy Infrastructure on Economic Growth which included provisions related to updating regulations linked to facilities which handle liquefied natural...more
4/12/2019
/ Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Executive Orders ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Infrastructure ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
PHMSA ,
Railroads ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Safety Standards ,
Transportation Industry ,
Trump Administration
On Dec. 28, 2018, the Office of Fossil Energy of the Department of Energy (DOE) filed a notice in the Federal Register indicating its response to the 19 public comments received on its study entitled Macroeconomic Outcomes of...more
As described in previous blog posts on May 7, 2018 and March 13, 2018, regulatory changes are needed before liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be transported by rail tanker cars under applicable Hazardous Materials and Carriage...more
10/30/2018
/ Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Energy Sector ,
Federal Railroad Administration ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Permits ,
Petition for Rulemaking ,
PHMSA ,
Railroads ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Safety Precautions ,
Transportation Industry
On Sept. 13, 2018, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on the subject of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe. The hearing was opened by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)....more
As previously reported, on Aug. 31, 2018, Kevin J. McIntyre, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Howard "Skip" Elliott, Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration...more
9/6/2018
/ Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
FERC ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Memorandum of Understanding ,
Natural Gas Act ,
Oil & Gas ,
PHMSA ,
Pipelines ,
Transportation Industry
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been studying holistically the management of wastewater generated from onshore unconventional oil and gas extraction, also known as "fracking." This study is a result of the...more
Following recent developments in liquefied natural gas (LNG) export policy in which we outlined in previous blog posts on June 12, 2018 and June 22, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy issued a Final...more
7/31/2018
/ Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Final Rules ,
Free Trade Agreements ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Natural Gas ,
NEPA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Shipping ,
Supply Chain
On June 12, 2018, the Office of Fossil Energy of the Department of Energy (DOE) filed a Notice in the Federal Register seeking comments prior to July 27, 2018 on its recently released study, entitled Macroeconomic Outcomes of...more
6/13/2018
/ Comment Period ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Exports ,
Federal Register ,
Free Trade Agreements ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Natural Gas Act ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
Public Comment ,
Public Interest
On May 7, 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) finally responded to the Petition for Rulemaking filed by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). As...more
5/15/2018
/ Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Energy Sector ,
Federal Railroad Administration ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Permits ,
Petition for Rulemaking ,
PHMSA ,
Railroads ,
Transportation Industry
Prompted by regulatory changes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding emission standards for locomotives, several railroads and locomotive manufacturers have been working for several years to develop...more
4/5/2018
/ Energy Sector ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Railroad Administration ,
Infrastructure ,
Manufacturers ,
National Emissions Standards ,
Natural Gas ,
New Regulations ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
Railroads ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Train Accidents
A recent Boston Globe editorial entitled “Gas-by-train? Beacon Hill Opens The Door” suggests that liquefied natural gas (LNG) may be arriving by train to New England from the shale gas region in Pennsylvania in the future....more
3/14/2018
/ Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Energy Sector ,
Federal Railroad Administration ,
FERC ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Petition for Rulemaking ,
PHMSA ,
Railroads ,
Shale Gas ,
Shipping ,
Trains
On Jan. 19, 2018, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) issued a decision in Grand Manor Condominium Association v. City of Lowell, 2018 WL 473078, which clarified, and some would say "changed," when a claim for...more