AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION
What was lobbied
11 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Environment/Superfund ENV
Monitored issues related to the Endangered Species Act -- support efforts to review the law and improve it.
Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI
Monitor issues related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), including use of UAV for utility related operations (Docket FAA-2015-0150). Monitoring FAA re-authorization legislation for related developments.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOHN GODFREY | — |
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. Monitored S. 808 STB Re authorization Act of 2015, which passed the Senate without amendment.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| AMY THOMAS New | — |
| DESMARIE M WATERHOUSE | — |
Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN
Worked to re-introduce H.R. 2041/S.1111, the Public Power Risk Management Act - 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. Supported more limited role in Dodd-Frank for non-profit energy end-users. Supported funding for CFTC. Supported H.R 2289, the Commodity End-User Relief Act that addresses the treatment of swaps with utility special entities.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOHN GODFREY | — |
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. Continued support of revised Senate energy efficiency bill, S. 535, H.R. 906, H.R. 873 and S. 720 Discussed potential legislation to ensure that federal agencies take electric reliability into consideration when developing regulations. Discussed potential comprehensive energy legislation with House and Senate staff. Continued working to ensure small utilities that are defined as small businesses under SBREFA get appropriate consideration under any pending and future EPA and FERC regulations. Worked to ensure that S. 1536, the Senate companion bill to H.R. 527, which modified the Regulatory Flexibility Act included language to fix SBA size standard issue. Supported efforts to delete Section 433 of EISA 2007, which mandates that all federal buildings use no fossil fuel by 2030. 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 Senate and House 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. Monitored information sharing legislation such as Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, S. 754, H.R. 1560, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act, H.R. 1731, the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015. Expressed support for Pompeo pipeline permitting bill - H.R. 161, which passed the House. Expressed support for H.R. 2358, the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act. Expressed support for H.R. 1073, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act and S. 1241, the Enhanced Grid Security Act of 2015. Monitored Southeastern Federal Power Administration Rate making procedures. Heavily engaged in pending House energy bill discussion draft on topics that include FERCs role in reviewing rule makings with significant impact on reliability; emergency authority to bulk power systems; hydro relicensing reform; and energy markets issues. In the Senate, also engaged in energy bill process, with specific positions on pending bills included below. S. 1221, the Bulk-Power System Reliability Impact Statement Act Expressed opposition to S. 1233, the PURPA PLUS Act, S. 1264, the Electricity Standard Act, S. 1434, the Energy Storage Promotion and Deployment Act of 2015, S. 1213, the Free Market Energy Bill Act of 2015. Expressed opposition to S. 1063, the American Energy Efficiency Act and S. 1202, the Heat Efficiency through Applied Technology Act. Supported S. 1405, the Severe Fuel Supply Emergency Response Act of 2015.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOY DITTO | — |
| JOHN GODFREY | — |
| AMY THOMAS | — |
| CORY TOTH | — |
| DESMARIE M WATERHOUSE | — |
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX
Supported the continued use of tax-exempt financing for municipal/public power purposes, and opposed provisions and legislation to tax municipal bonds. Monitored impacts of sequestration on Build America Bonds (BABs). Expressed support for S. 485, the APPROVAL ACT, Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Land Act.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOY DITTO | — |
| JOHN GODFREY | — |
| AMY THOMAS | — |
| DESMARIE M WATERHOUSE | — |
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 and Senate staff these issues.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOY DITTO | — |
| DESMARIE M WATERHOUSE | — |
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. Worked to ensure legislation is introduced to address patent assertion entities. Supported S. 1137, the PATENT Act that targets abusive patent ligation practices.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| DESMARIE M WATERHOUSE | — |
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 2016 Administration proposal to cap deductions at 28 percent for higher income earners. Monitored NRC appropriations allocations for the Department of Energy, the federal Power Marketing Administrations, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOY DITTO | — |
| JOHN GODFREY | — |
| AMY THOMAS New | — |
Energy/Nuclear ENG
Supported bills to ensure regulatory relief for small hydro facilities. Supported legislation in the House and Senate energy bill development to streamline hydro and relicensing for all sites of hydro facilities. Monitored agency implementation of hydro bills that passed in the 113th Congress (H.R. 678, H.R. 267) Monitored Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and nuclear waste issues (S. 854: Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2015). Monitored issues involving the export of natural gas (liquefied natural gas or LNG).
Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW
Support legislation (H.R. 1734, the Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015) re: EPA regulation of coal ash as a non-hazardous waste, which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on April 15. Opposed to EPA proposed Clean Power Plan and briefed House and Senate staff on financial impacts of the proposed rule. Discussed concept of reliability safety valve for proposed rules that will impact grid reliability. Opposed to EPA's proposed Waters of the U.S. rule under the Clean Water Act. Expressed support for H.R. 2042 Ratepayer Protection Act. Expressed concerns about S. 1324, the Affordable Reliable Electricity Now Act of 2015.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOY DITTO | — |
| AMY THOMAS | — |
| DESMARIE M WATERHOUSE | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.