Last week, the US EPA extended the rulemaking period on RFS 2 until September 25, 2009.  This extends the period by 60 days.  While this rulemaking is  highly complicated and contentious, it is unclear that extending the comment period will improve this situation.  In addition, the effective date of the regulations continues to be delayed.  This…

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced more than $153 million in Recovery Act funding to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, New York, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. With today’s announcement, these states and territories will now have received 50% of their total Recovery…

We welcome energy attorneys Morten Lund and David Quinby to the firm’s San Diego office as members of the Energy and Telecommunications group. They join attorneys Howard Susman and Brian Nese. The San Diego office has relocated to a larger space at 12265 El Camino Real, Suite 303, to accommodate further expansion (new

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In its final days of session, the North Dakota legislature passed a bill creating certain requirements for leases or easements for wind energy development that are entered into in the state.   

The bill’s requirements for wind leases and easements include:  placement of a cover page on every wind lease encouraging the landowner to review the agreement with his or her attorney; negotiations may not be maintained…

 

The U.S. Interior Department has instigated initiatives to accelerate the development of solar energy on Western lands. About 670,000 acres currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah will be evaluated for the development of large-scale solar energy production. These areas of land will be reserved …

The Department of Energy ("DOE") has released $12.93 million to fund geologic sequestration training and research. $7.93 million is available for awards to all universities, colleges, and college-affiliated research institutes and $5 million is available for awards to historically black colleges and universities or other minority institutes listed on the Office of Civil Rights’s accredited post secondary minorities institution…

 On June 25, 2009, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (“FOA”) to deploy over $4.15 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“Recovery Act”) to be used to fund smart grid projects. These funds are being deployed through two FOAs. The first FOA provides $3.4 billion to support the Smart…

Today, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) issued a Request for Offers seeking eligible renewable resources that the utility will use to meet its California Renewable Portfolio Standard requirements.  Respondents may submit one or more of three alternative proposals:

  • Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).  Respondents are asked to propose a 10, 15, or 20-year PPA

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On June 23, 2009, the Minerals Management Service, a division within the U.S. Department of Interior, issued five limited leases to offshore wind energy developers for wind data collection on the Outer Continental Shelf.  These leases will allow for the construction of meteorological towers to collect site-specific data on wind speed, intensity, and direction.  The data collected under…

On Friday, June 25, 2009, the Department of Energy ("DOE") announced more than $304 million in Recovery Act funding to three states for their weatherization assistance programs. The DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program will enable families making up to 200% of the federal poverty level – about $44,000 a year for a family of four – to save…