AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Opposed taking the Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) to market-based as opposed to cost-based rates in any budget proposal. 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. Opposition to eliminating tax-exempt financing in any budget proposal.

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

Environment/Superfund ENV

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

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

Railroads RRR

Supported removal of the antitrust exemptions for the railroads -- S. 49. Also supported efforts by Congress to urge the STB to review its policy on an acquisition premium for Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad, which would be charged to captive shippers. Supported language included in the Senate-passed Farm Bill by Senator Klobuchar studying impacts of captive rail shipping on rural communities.

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

Bills named: S. 49 (112th)

Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN

Monitoring implementation of legislation, H.R. 4173 (known as the Frank-Dodd Wall Street Reform Act), regulating over-the-counter derivatives markets that our members use to hedge natural gas and electricity prices, to ensure that exemptions for end-users of energy from mandatory clearing are retained, and opposing final rule on swap dealers regarding special entities and the $25 million ceiling on their transactions. Also support more limited role in Dodd-Frank for non-profit end-users.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4173 (112th)

Utilities UTI

Expressing concerns about or opposition to markets issues related to regional transmission organizations, including propose western energy imbalance market; opposed cyber security legislation involving the electric utility sector in the Senate -- revised version of S. 3414, and monitored development of executive order on cybe security; supported H.R. 4273 regarding emergency operation of power plants and Clean Air Act violations. Monitored issues related to electric vehicles, particularly regarding funding issues. Monitor rulemakings related to transmission policy, including transmission incentive rates. 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. Interfaced with DOE and DHS on recovery and resilience, as recommended by the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee (NIAC), and in handling Hurricane Sandy recovery. Monitored Senator Klobuchar draft bill related to preventing copper theft.

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

Bills named: S. 3414 (112th), H.R. 4273 (112th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Support the continued use of tax-exempt financing for municipal/public power purposes, and oppose provisions, like those included in the Administration's FY 2013 budget proposal and S. 727, to tax municipal bonds. Closely monitored development of H.R. 8 (compromise on fiscal cliff), and opposed any efforts to include taxation of municipal bonds in the legislation.

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

Bills named: S. 727 (112th), H.R. 8 (112th)

Telecommunications TEC

Monitored smart grid programs and their intersection with the telecommunications industry, and respond 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.

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

Bills named: S. 911 (112th)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

Supported majority of bill encouraging energy efficiency, S. 1000. Monitored the Hydropower Improvement Act in the Senate, and supported bills to ensure regulatory relief for small hydro facilities, such as H.R. 795, H.R. 2842, & H.R. 3680. Monitored Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and congressional response to Fukushima event in Japan and implications for existing and new nuclear power generation. Monitored issues involving the export of natural gas (liquefied natural gas or LNG).

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

Bills named: H.R. 3680 (112th), H.R. 795 (112th), H.R. 2842 (112th), S. 1000 (112th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Support legislation to define parameters of EPA regulation of coal ash as a non-hazardous waste -- H.R. 1391, H.R. 2273 & S. 1751. Express concerns about regulation of cooling water intake structures (known as 316(b)) by EPA. Concern about air regulations on power plants being promulgated by EPA, including utility MACT (MATS), and support for the TRAIN Act to require multiple agencies to do cost-benefit analysis of EPA regs -- H.R. 2401. Monitoring possible revisions to EPA's final rule on reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) -- EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0708. Monitoring EPA's proposed rule on New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) on greenhouse gas emissions on power plants. Continue to express concerns, particularly to FERC and EPA, about fuel switching from coal to natural gas and the operational implications therein.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1391 (112th), H.R. 2401 (112th), S. 1751 (112th), H.R. 2273 (112th)