On Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced the forthcoming publication of proposed rules intended to increase the safety of gas distribution pipelines nationwide. Read on for a brief overview of the proposal, which aims to improve emergency response plans, integrity management plans and operation manuals.

On Aug. 2, 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced the grant of $64.4 million to states to improve the safety of pipelines and underground natural gas operations.

The goal of the grant is to provide states with the funding necessary to inspect pipelines and underground natural gas

On July 31, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced three final wind energy areas off the shores of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Read on for details about the new wind energy areas, which have the potential to support 4-8 gigawatts of energy, contributing to the Biden administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore

The Biden administration recently announced a $20 billion clean energy investment plan creating two complementary competitions providing funding for community-based climate projects across the country.

Read on for details about the National Clean Investment Fund and the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator. Applications are due Oct. 12, 2023.

With an “alert” issued June 20, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is targeting carbon markets by asking whistleblowers to come forward with information about fraudulent or manipulative trading of carbon credits and other environmental commodities as well as related derivatives.

Read on for details about the CFTC’s alert and implications for entities that trade in

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extended and modified a federal investment tax credit for a broad variety of advanced energy manufacturing projects. The program relies on an application and award process to allocate the tax credits.

Read on for newly released details about the application process and technical guidance for the 48C program.

Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions letting federal courts hear constitutional challenges to enforcement proceedings at federal agencies opened the door to similar challenges to in-house enforcement proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), McGuireWoods Washington, D.C., partner Todd Mullins and associate Emily Song wrote in Law360.Continue Reading High Court Opens Door to Suits Against FERC, McGuireWoods Attorneys Write in Law360

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) created a 10% tax credit adder to encourage the use of “domestic content” in renewable projects that qualify for the production tax credit (PTC) and investment tax credit (ITC). Projects built using the required amounts of U.S.-produced steel, iron and manufactured products can receive a significant 10% increase to the credits. Taxpayers have been eagerly anticipating Treasury and IRS guidance on this credit adder since the IRA was signed into law in August 2022.Continue Reading Domestic Content 10% Bonus Guidance Released (IRS Notice 2023-38)

The application process for the first round of funding for the Section 48C credit will open May 31, 2023. The IRS will issue additional guidance on the program before the application process opens but the application window closes July 31, 2023, so interested taxpayers should prepare submissions now.Continue Reading Opening Soon — Application for Section 48C Advanced Energy Project Investment Tax Credit

Over the past year, there have been major Federal Energy Regulatory Commission developments as more cases moved from the agency to adjudication in the courts. McGuireWoods’ update to its innovative FERC Enforcement Reporter — led by lawyers Carrie Mobley and Corban Coffman — organizes energy enforcement cases from 2005 to present by topic and presents