AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

Railroads RRR

Supported removal of the antitrust exemptions for the railroads, and reforms at the Surface Transportation Board.

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

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 2014 budget proposal, to tax municipal bonds. Support H. Res. 112, highlighting the value of tax-exempt financing, and authored by Reps. Terry and Neal. Supported "Dear Colleague" letter authored by Reps. Ruppersburger & Hultgren expressing support for tax-exempt financing. Monitored impacts of sequestration on Build America Bonds (BABs).

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

Bills named: H.Res. 112 (113th)

Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN

Supported legislation, H.R. 1038, 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 -- H.R. 1038 passed the House, and is pending in the Senate. Supported more limited role in Dodd-Frank for non-profit energy end-users.

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

Bills named: 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; reviewed draft of Senate Commerce Committee cyber bill; monitored development of executive order on cyber security and responded to NIST request for information; monitored issues related to electric vehicles, particularly regarding funding issues. Monitored development of revised Portman-Shaheen energy efficiency bill.Monitor rulemakings related to transmission policy. 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, and support H.R. 527 to modify the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Interfaced with DOE and DHS on recovery and resilience, as recommended by the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee (NIAC), and in handling Hurricane Sandy recovery. Supported Senator Klobuchar bill related to preventing copper theft. Supported efforts to delete or fix Section 433 of EISA 2007, which mandates that all federal buildings use no fossil fuel by 2030.

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

Bills named: H.R. 527 (113th)

Agriculture AGR

Monitored issues related to Farm Bill development, including energy audits, and service territory issues for rural utilities.

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

Telecommunications TEC

Monitored smart grid programs and their intersection with the telecommunications industry, and responded to requests for meetings and information on the subject to DOE. Supported the need to allow electric utilities to access spectrum for wireless; monitored implementation of S. 911 at NTIA. Monitored the issue of "retransmission consent" with regard to access to cable programming. Monitored pole attachment rate issue. Support municipal broadband deployment, including in rural areas served by public power.

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

Bills named: S. 911 (113th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Opposed DOE Secretary Chu memo of March 16, 2012, to drastically change the purpose of the PMAs from marketing federal hydropower to promoting non-hydro renewables. Opposed to modifying or eliminating tax-exempt financing in any budget proposal, including FY 2014 Administration proposal to cap deductions at 28 percent for higher income earners. Oppose proposal in President's FY 2014 budget to investigate divestiture of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

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

Environment/Superfund ENV

Monitored issues related to the Endangered Species Act -- support efforts to review the law and improve it. Monitor TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) reform bill.

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

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. Monitored Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and nuclear waste issues. Monitored issues involving the export of natural gas (liquefied natural gas or LNG).

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

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

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Supported legislation (H.R. 2218) re: EPA regulation of coal ash as a non-hazardous waste. Expressed concerns about parameters of effluent limitation guidelines under the Clean Water Act, pending at EPA. Concerned about air regulations on power plants being promulgated by EPA, including utility MACT (MATS). Monitored EPA's pending rulemakings on NSPS for greenhouse gases at future and existing fossil-fuel fired power plants. Continue to discuss the electricity/natural gas nexus with Congress, FERC, & EPA.Monitored Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) progress, with emphasis on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reform and dam safety. Supported H.R. 271, Olson reliability bill.

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

Bills named: H.R. 271 (113th), H.R. 2218 (113th)