Federal
Roles/Players
Commissioner David Boyd
Minnesota Public Service Commission
Hierarchy of Federal Regulation
FED
Federal
EPA
DHS
DOE
NRC
FERC
FEMA
NERC
State
NARUC
COMM
UTIL
Understanding the Federal
Hierarchy

Laws
 Federal
Government
 Regulations
 Federal Agencies

Standards
 Branch

Agencies
Compliance
 Commissions
FERC
Agencies Central Responsibility
DOE
NARUC
Electricity
Fuel
&
Reliability
Technology
&
Nuclear
FEMA
NRC
NERC
EPA
Safety
Health
&
Defense
DHS
NARUC National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners

David Wright
 Chairman

Headquarters:
1101 Vermont
Avenue NW
Suite 200
Washington DC
NARUC History

Founded 1889 – Non-profit Organization
 “Dedicated
to supporting the State public
service commissions who regulate state
utilities that provide essential services such as
energy, communications, water, and
transportation.”
 set and influence public policy, share best
practices, and foster innovative solutions to
improve regulation.
NARUC Jurisdiction

Advisory/Intermediary
 State

Level Utilities
Mediates with Federal Gov’t and federal agencies
on behalf of public state utility commissions
Gives Congress commissions’ positions on issues
 Provides witnesses for congressional committees
 Gives policy briefings to Senate and House
 Files briefs and pleadings with Supreme Court
 Makes policy proposals to Executive Branch
 Works with agencies to develop regulatory policies

FERC
Agencies Core Responsibilities
DOE
NARUC
Electricity
Fuel
&
Reliability
Technology
&
Nuclear
FEMA
NRC
NERC
EPA
Safety
Health
&
Defense
DHS

Jon Wellinghoff
 Chairman


Headquarters:
888 First Street NE,
Washington DC
FPC named FERC 1977
FERC Jurisdiction
Hydroelectric
 Interstate

 electricity
 natural
gas
 oil

Regulation
FERC
Regulation of wholesale sales of electricity
and transmission of electricity in interstate
commerce
 Oversight of mandatory reliability standards
for the bulk power system
 Promotion of strong national energy
infrastructure, including adequate
transmission facilities

FERC

Electric Reliability
 Mandatory
reliability and security standards
 The Commission monitors and directs the
Electric Reliability Organization (ERO)
 Users, owners, and operators of the bulk
power system
Gas and LNG
Interstate Commerce
Regulation of pipeline transportation,
storage, facility construction and
abandonment
 Interstate regulation of natural gas
transportation
 Establish rates for transmission services

Hydro
Licenses for new construction
 Licenses for the continuance of existing
projects (relicensing).
 Conducts oversight of ongoing project
operations, including dam safety
inspections and environmental monitoring.
 Environmental Impact Statements

NERC—June 1 1968
National Energy Reliability Council


John Anderson –
Chairman
Headquarters:
3353 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 600 North Tower
Atlanta, Georgia
NERC





Established June 1st 1968
2000 - NERC appointed electric utility industry’s
primary point of contact with US government
August 8th 2005 - US Energy Policy Act
July 20th 2006 - NERC appointed “electric
reliability organization” with FERC oversight
June 18th 2007- Compliance with NERC
standards becomes mandatory and enforceable
Reliability-Dispatch
Source EIA
NERC’s Area of Influence
How do FERC/NERC Fit
Together?
FERC suggests regulation or policy
 NERC, non-government, works with
industry to establish standards that will
fulfill compliance with FERC
regulations/policy
 FERC has veto power over anything
NERC does but

FERC, NERC & NARUC
NARUC is a go between that can address
regulatory issues at any level
 They represent the interests of state
regulatory commissioners to NERC, FERC
and the federal government in shaping
laws, regulations, standards and policy

FERC
Agencies Core Concerns
DOE
NARUC
Electricity
Fuel
&
Transmission
Reliability
Technology
&
Nuclear
FEMA
NRC
NERC
EPA
Safety
Health
&
Defense
DHS
NRC--1974
Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Alison McFarlane
 Chairman

Headquarters:
One White Flint North
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD
NRC History
Atomic Energy Act 1946—Secret
 Act ruled that nuclear weapon
development and nuclear power
management would be under civilian,
rather than military control, and it
established the United States Atomic
Energy Commission
 Atomic Energy Act 1954- Public Use-Too
Cheap to Meter

Energy Reorganization Act 1974
Atomic energy is capable of application for peaceful as well as
military purposes. It is therefore declared to be the policy of the United
States that:
a. the development, use, and control of atomic energy shall be
directed so as to make the maximum contribution to the general
welfare, subject at all times to the paramount objective of making
the maximum contribution to the common defense and security; and

b. the development, use, and control of atomic energy shall be
directed so as to promote world peace, improve the general welfare,
increase the standard of living, and strengthen free competition in private
enterprise.
Act Created the NRC 1975

“To license and regulate the nation's
civilian use of byproduct, source, and
special nuclear materials in order to
ensure the adequate protection of public
health and safety, promote the common
defense and security, and to protect the
environment”
NRC Areas of Focus

Reactors
 “Commercial
reactors for generating electric power
and research and test reactors used for research,
testing, and training”

Materials
 “Uses
of nuclear materials in medical, industrial, and
academic settings and facilities that produce nuclear
fuel”

Waste
 “Transportation,
storage, and disposal of nuclear
materials and waste, and decommissioning of nuclear
facilities from service”
NRC Jurisdiction

Licensing and Regulation

Nuclear




Reactors
Materials
Waste
Overlap with EPA/DHS common defense and
security” entity


NRC achieves through regulation and licensure (ie passively)
DHS has authority to use force to promote achieve the goal
NRC and EPA
If nuclear-related activities affect the air or
water, this falls in the EPA’s jurisdiction
 For example:

 Uranium
mining
 Public radiation exposure
NRC and DHS
When a person or entity is handling
nuclear materials/equipment in a way such
as to attack or threaten, this falls in the
DHS’ jurisdiction
 When a person or entity inadvertently
creates a potential threat through
carelessness or failure to comply with
policy, this falls in the NRC’s jurisdiction

DOE 1973 and on
Department of Energy

Dr. Steven Chu
 Secretary

Headquarters:
1000 Independence Ave
SW Washington DC
DOE—Early History
Manhattan Project (Army Corp of
Engineers)
 Atomic Energy Commission
 1973 Gas Shortage
 Jimmy Carter: The Department of Energy
Organization Act of 1977

 assumed
the responsibilities of:
Federal Energy Administration
 Energy Research and Development Administration
 Federal Power Act (1920)

Jimmy Carter: Need for coordinated action

The Department of Energy Organization
Act of 1977
 assumed
the responsibilities of:
Federal Energy Administration
 Energy Research and Development
Administration
 Federal Power Act (1920)

A 1977 Consolidation





Federal Energy Regulatory Commission;
Economic Regulatory Administration;
Automotive research and development sections
of the Environmental Protection Agency;
Solar Research and Development from the
National Science Foundation; and
Fossil Energy and Development from the
Department of the Interior's Office of Coal
Research, as well as several Power
Administrations.
DOE Mission

“to ensure America’s security
and prosperity by addressing its energy,
environmental and nuclear challenges
through transformative science and
technology solutions”
DOE Areas of Focus

Energy


Science and Innovation


“Maintain a vibrant U.S. effort in science and engineering as a
cornerstone of our economic prosperity with clear leadership in
strategic areas.”
Nuclear Safety and Security


“Catalyze the timely, material, and efficient transformation of the
nation’s energy system and secure U.S. leadership in clean energy
technologies.”
“Enhance nuclear security through defense, nonproliferation, and
environmental efforts.”
Management and Operational Excellence
DOE Jurisdiction

Technology
 Improve
the state of energy-based technology
Funding
 Patents


Nuclear
 Systems
and processes
Reduce risk of nuclear proliferation and nuclear
materials abuse/misuse
 Minimize impact of nuclear energy on environment

FERC
Agencies Core Concerns
DOE
NARUC
Electricity
Fuel
&
Transmission
Reliability
Technology
&
Nuclear
FEMA
NRC
NERC
EPA
Safety
Health
&
Defense
DHS
EPA-1970
Environmental Protection Agency


Lisa Jackson –
Administrator
Headquarters- 1200
Pennsylvania Ave,
Washington DC
History of EPA
Conservation
 Ecology
 Environmentalism
 Earth Day
 Reorganization Plan No 3 of 1970 – July 9th
1970
 EPA Order 1110.2- December 4th 1970
 Clean Air Act – 1970

EPA Mission/Purpose

“EPA's purpose is to ensure that:







all Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the
environment where they live, learn and work;
national efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best available
scientific information;
federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced
fairly and effectively;
environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S. policies
concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy,
transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these
factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy;
all parts of society -- communities, individuals, businesses, and state, local
and tribal governments -- have access to accurate information sufficient to
effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks;
environmental protection contributes to making our communities and
ecosystems diverse, sustainable and economically productive; and
the United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to
protect the global environment.”
EPA Functions
Develop and Enforce Environmental
Regulations
 Develop and Fund Research Topics and
Evaluate the Results
 Sponsor Partnerships
 Teach the Public About the Environment
 Publish Information

EPA Jurisdiction
http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/basics.ht
ml
 Develop and Enforce Regulations

 Coal,

Oil, Natural Gas
Air and Water
Pollution
 Emissions

FEMA


W. Craig FugateSecretary
Headquarters:
500 C St SW
Washington DC
FEMA History
1979- Executive order from President
Carter forms FEMA
 March 2003- FEMA joins DHS
 October 4th 2006- Post-Katrina Emergency
Reform Act reorganizes FEMA

DHS


Janet NapolitanoSecretary
Headquarters:
1100 Alabama
Avenue SE
Washington DC
DHS History



9/11/2001- Terrorist attacks on World Trade
Center
November 25th 2002- Homeland Security Act of
2002
July 2005- DHS Reorganization
DHS Responsibilities
“Prevent Terrorism and Enhance Security”
 “Enforce and Administer Our Immigration
Laws”
 “Ensure Resilience to Disasters”
 “Secure and Manage Our Borders”
 “Safeguard and Secure Cyberspace”
 “Mature and Strengthen DHS”
