AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

Reviewed legislation related to enhancing skilled workforce to determine whether or not it was applicable to utilities/public power utilities more specifically. The bill, H.R. 5494, was too broad for APPA to take a position on.

Contacted: Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); SENATE; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Energy, Dept of; White House Office; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Surface Transportation Board (STB)

Bills named: H.R. 5494 (113th)

Railroads RRR

Support removal of the antitrust exemptions for the railroads, and support reforms at the Surface Transportation Board in order to ensure that rail customers are not the subject of monopoly shipping rates. Supported S. 2777, which passed the Senate Commerce Committee.

Contacted: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Surface Transportation Board (STB); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); SENATE; Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Energy, Dept of; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); White House Office; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Bills named: S. 2777 (113th)

Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN

Supported legislation, S. 1802, modifying final rule on swap dealers under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act regarding special entities and the $25 million ceiling on their hedging transactions (S. 1802 is a companion bill to H.R. 1038, which previously has passed the House) Supported more limited role in Dodd-Frank for non-profit energy end-users. Supported funding for CFTC. Support including H.R. 1038/S. 1802 in CFTC Reauthorization bill. Supported H.R. 4413, the Customeer Protection and End UserRelief Act to streamline Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act rules related to energy end-users. Supported the CFTC in rulemaking (RIN 3038-AE19) allow special entities to hedge by engaging in swap transactions in the same way as do other types of electric utiltiies, and generally supported final rule.

Contacted: Energy, Dept of; Treasury, Dept of; White House Office; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Executive Office of the President (EOP); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Surface Transportation Board (STB); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Bills named: S. 1802 (113th), H.R. 4413 (113th), H.R. 1038 (113th)

Utilities UTI

Expressed concerns about or opposition to markets issues related to regional transmission organizations, including proposed energy imbalance market and existing mandatory capacity markets. Encouraged oversight of FERC more generally. Monitored issues related to electric vehicles, particularly regarding funding issues. Continued support of revised Senergy efficiency bill, S. 1392. Discussed potential legislation to ensure that federal agencies take electric reliability into consideration when developing regulations.Worked to ensure small utilities that are defined as small businesses under SBREFA get appropriate consideration under any pending and future EPA and FERC regulations. Supported H.R. 2542, which modified the Regulatory Flexibility Act and passed the House. Supported Senator Klobuchar bill related to preventing copper theft. Supported H.R. 1199 to delete Section 433 of EISA 2007, which mandates that all federal buildings use no fossil fuel by 2030. Also suppored other efforts to fix this issue. Support S. 2620, the Grid Reliability Act of 2014 (companion bill to H.R. 271.) While not a federal issue, discussed issues surrounding distributed generation (namely, rooftop solar) with DOE staff and with some offices on Capitol Hill. Discussed the Quadrennial Energy Review (and its focus on distribution, transmission and storage of energy) with DOE and the White House and submitted statements and other materials related to that process. Discussed the need for enhanced liability protection for electric utilities who are subject to a cybersecurity attack. Briefed Senators and House Members and staff on the physical security of the electric system, and opposed additional legislation resulting in greater regulation. Discussed the issue of the availability of spare transformers with DOE and others. Supported information sharing legislation such as CISPA, H.R. 3523, and the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2014, S. 2588. Supported cybersecurity related bills S. 2519 and S. 1353. Reviewed and proposed modifications to legislation related to electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) and their impacts on the electric grid -- H.R. 3410. Discussed the "risk-based registration" initiative by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This initiative is aimed at lessening the regulatory burden on smaller utilities.

Contacted: Energy, Dept of; Surface Transportation Board (STB); Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); White House Office; Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); SENATE; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Bills named: S. 1353 (113th), H.R. 3523 (113th), S. 2588 (113th), H.R. 1199 (113th), H.R. 3410 (113th), S. 2519 (113th), S. 1392 (113th), H.R. 2542 (113th), H.R. 271 (113th), S. 2620 (113th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Supported the continued use of tax-exempt financing for municipal/public power purposes, and opposed provisions, like those included in the Administration's FY 2015 budget proposal, to tax municipal bonds. Supported H. Res. 112, highlighting the value of tax-exempt financing, and authored by Reps. Terry and Neal. Monitored impacts of sequestration on Build America Bonds (BABs), including H.R. 789 and H.J.Res. 59.Monitored the Tax Reform Act of 2014 (not introduced) for proposals to tax interest paid on municipal bonds.

Contacted: SENATE; Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Treasury, Dept of; Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Surface Transportation Board (STB); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); White House Office; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Energy, Dept of; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Bills named: H.Res. 112 (113th), H.R. 789 (113th), H.J.Res. 59 (113th)

Telecommunications TEC

Monitored the issue of "retransmission consent" with regard to access to cable programming. Also monitored the issues of program access and video competition. Monitored pole attachment rate issue. Support municipal broadband deployment, and educated House Telecommunications Subcommittee on these issues as they begin to rewrite the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Contacted: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Energy, Dept of; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); SENATE; Surface Transportation Board (STB); Executive Office of the President (EOP); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); White House Office; Treasury, Dept of

Copyright/Patent/Trademark CPT

Monitored efforts in Congress to address abuse of the patent system by patent assertion entities (PAEs), commonly known as patent trolls.

Contacted: Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Energy, Dept of; Surface Transportation Board (STB); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); White House Office; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); SENATE; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Treasury, Dept of; Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Opposed any efforts to change the purpose of the PMAs from marketing clean federal hydropower to promoting non-hydro renewables -- still monitoring DOE activities on the PMAs. Opposed to modifying or eliminating tax-exempt financing in any budget proposal, including FY 2015 Administration proposal to cap deductions at 28 percent for higher income earners. Oppose proposal in President's FY 2015 budget to continue to investigate divestiture of TVA. Monitored H.R. 83, the Omnibus Appropriations bill,related to appropriations allocations for the Department of Energy, the federal Power Marketing Administrations, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as well as policy riders related to environmental issues such as the Waters of the U.S. proposal by EPA, and the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants proposal by EPA. Supported such policy riders.

Contacted: Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Surface Transportation Board (STB); Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); SENATE; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); White House Office; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Energy, Dept of; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Treasury, Dept of

Bills named: H.R. 83 (113th)

Environment/Superfund ENV

Monitored issues related to the Endangered Species Act -- support efforts to review the law and improve it.

Contacted: White House Office; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Energy, Dept of; Treasury, Dept of; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); SENATE; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Surface Transportation Board (STB); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

Supported bills to ensure regulatory relief for small hydro facilities, such as H.R. 678, H.R. 267, S. 306, and S. 545, and monitoring agency implemenation. Monitored Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and nuclear waste issues. Monitored issues involving the export of natural gas (liquefied natural gas or LNG).

Contacted: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Surface Transportation Board (STB); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; White House Office; Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; Treasury, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Energy, Dept of

Bills named: H.R. 678 (113th), S. 306 (113th), H.R. 267 (113th), S. 545 (113th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Support legislation (H.R. 2218) re: EPA regulation of coal ash as a non-hazardous waste. Opposed to EPA's proposed rulemaking on a New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) for greenhouse gases at future fossil-fuel fired power plants, and do not believe CCS adequately demonstrated (EPAOAR-20130495). Opposed to EPA proposed rulemaking on NSPS for existing power plants (EPAHQOAR20130602), and briefed House Science Committee members and staff on state perspectives on the issue.Opposed to EPA's proposed Waters of the U.S. rule under the Clean Water Act (EPA-HW-OW-2011-0880. Supported H.R. 5078, Waters of the United States Regulatory Protection Act, which passed the House.Supported Whitfield-Manchin bill (H.R. 3826) to establish a more rigorous process for EPA to be able to establish NSPS for greenhouse gas emissions. Support H.R. 1900 related to Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act. Monitored Water Resources Development Act (WRDA/WRDDA) implementation, with emphasis on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reform and dam safety.

Contacted: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); White House Office; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Executive Office of the President (EOP); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); SENATE; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Treasury, Dept of; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Surface Transportation Board (STB); Energy, Dept of; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

Bills named: H.R. 1900 (113th), H.R. 3826 (113th), H.R. 5078 (113th), H.R. 2218 (113th)