FERC What is FERC? We are talking about government in this post, so FERC is an acronym for a federal government entity known as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”). This entity was formed in 1977 to protect the interests of public and energy customers in the United States. FERC is an independent agency and falls under the…
Renewable energy resources and projects are a very hot topic in Rhode Island. Between solar farms and offshore wind farms, stakeholders face a daunting review process. A public utility law project is one that requires approvals and regulatory compliance at both the state and municipal level, and sometimes federal too. When an activity is designated by the state legislature for…
Litigators appear in civil court to represent their clients in a civil matter. An individual can also represent themselves in this venue, but an attorney must represent any corporate entity. Groups of individuals can also comprise a plaintiff or defendant, too. Pleadings and Discovery If an attorney files a complaint on behalf of her plaintiff client, the defendant or his…
The Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) recently issued its Final Order denying Invenergy a permit to pave over a forest in Burrillville to build an unnecessary fossil fuel power plant. If you are not familiar with this case, Invenergy is a privately held, global developer for sustainable energy projects; and the EFSB is an independent state board that reviews proposed…
Processes like development plan approval, subdivision approval, and building approval refer to the approval required for construction or expansion (including some types of renovation) at the municipal level. A building approval is generally a written document that results from zoning board and/or planning board review. Permits must be obtained before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, or changing the occupancy of…
The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) was first codified in 1948 and later expanded in 1972. While environmental pollution laws cover the breadth of the country’s natural resources, the CWA specifically created a statutory regime to regulate discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. The other main purpose of this statute is to employ water quality standards…
Ensuring that your company complies with the various state and federal environmental statutes and regulations is incredibly important. I say this because I have first-hand experience when companies are non-compliant. Environmental investigations are expensive, time-consuming, and may create negative publicity. This article focuses on environmental and regulatory compliance in business settings. Federal legislation like the Clean Air Act (CAA), the…
A good civil litigation lawyer knows the value of zealous advocacy. There is a particular skillset associated with that advocacy. Attorneys are trained to create arguments that fit with the facts of the case and/or relevant case law. Knowing the process behind a litigated matter is important, too. For example, properly effecting service on a defendant in a lawsuit is…
The regulation of utilities in Rhode Island is the responsibility of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (“RIPUC”). That commission is a creature of statute. As an attorney, practicing before the commission is different than appearing in state court. Public utility law follows various enabling acts and observance of a variation on the state’s rules of evidence and civil procedure.…
Rhode Island is home to a variety of natural resources. The state environmental laws in Rhode Island are available online at: State of Rhode Island General Laws. These laws cover many interest areas. One of these interest areas is the air we breathe every day. The public policy here is to preserve, protect and improve our air resources, codified at…