Join us for the Gas, Oils, and Liquids Steering Committee Half Day Event! This virtual program will feature two panels.

1:00 – 2:00 PM (ET): Environmental issues in approving new natural gas infrastructure.  

This session will cover ongoing developments in FERC’s analysis of need for, and environmental issues surrounding, new natural gas facilities. These include the tension between state and federal views on the need for new pipeline facilities, and assessments of greenhouse gas emissions.

• Steve Hatridge, Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, The Williams Companies, Inc.
• Sam Backfield, Legal Counsel – Commissioner Christie, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Justin Gundlach, Senior Advisor for Policy Implementation, New York State Department of Public Service
• Elizabeth Blaug, Fmr. Office of General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Moderator: Mariah Johnston, Of Counsel, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

2:15 – 3:15 PM (ET): Natural gas pipeline modernization

This session will consider the challenges pipelines are facing in recovering increasing environmental and safety-related costs. FERC’s 2015 Modernization Policy Statement permits pipelines to recover modernization costs through a surcharge mechanism. Consistent with the policy statement, many pipelines have proposed cost trackers to allow them to recover environmental and safety-related costs on a yearly basis. In practice, pipelines have had mixed results in obtaining rate settlements that include these cost tracking mechanisms, creating the possibility of frequent rate case filings to address continually rising costs. The panel will discuss sources of these costs and how pipelines’ efforts to recover them.  

• Sorana Linder, Director, Rates, Tariffs, and Modernization, TC Energy
• Jessica Rogers, Senior Director, Rates and Regulatory, UGI Utilities
• Conor Walsh, Attorney Advisor, Office of Chief Counsel, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
• Kyle Danish, Partner, Van Ness Feldman LLP
• Moderator: Michael Diamond, Partner, Van Ness Feldman LLP

CLE:
This program is eligible for 2 hours of CLE credit in 60-minute states and 2.4 hours of CLE credit in 50-minute states. Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules. EBA has applied for this program in VA, CA, NY, and TX.

To Receive CLE Credit:

If you have met the participation requirements, you will receive a personalized CLE affidavit from mcle-eba@americanbar.org for the program at which you attended at least one session to completion. Please check your spam or junk folders as these emails often end up there. Please note you will fill out one affidavit for the full event. Once you complete the affidavit, you will be able to download your certificate(s) of attendance and they will be emailed to you as well from mcle-eba@americanbar.org. EBA is applying for CLE credit in Texas and Virginia for this event.

Scholarships:

EBA offers eligible student, government, and academic members discounts on the rates for most EBA programs which carry CLE credits, including EBA’s Annual and Mid-Year Meetings. EBA will, on a case-by-case basis, consider requests from members to attend EBA programs at a discounted rate. Discount requests must be made to EBA’s office at least fifteen days prior to the close of regular registration for the program in question. Requests will be considered by EBA if timely and complete. Discount requests must demonstrate a substantial financial hardship. Please submit your requests to jhannan@eba-net.org.