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The Department of Energy announced today that it has settled a longstanding dispute over equity rights to the Naval Petroleum Reserve-1 (commonly referred to as “Elk Hills”) located in Bakersfield, California.  Under the agreement, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. has agreed to pay $108 million to the United States to resolve all outstanding equity claims. 

Last week, the Department of Energy issued two Notices related to the application of its certification and enforcement regulations. First, the Department issued a Request for Information seeking information and data related to the use of computer simulations, mathematical methods, and other alternative methods of determining the efficiency of certain types of consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment. Comments are requested on or before May 18, 2011. Second, the Department issued a 

The Department of Energy today announces an extension of the reply comment period for its Request for Information implementing Executive Order 13563, seeking public comment on how best to review its existing regulations.

Because of the role communications technologies will play in the evolution toward a smarter national grid, DOE recommended in its October 2010 report, The Communications Requirements of Smart Grid Technologies, that members of the utility sector become more engaged in the federal advisory committees that consider key policy issues related to the Smart Grid, including the reliability of communications networks.  Last week, the Federal Communications Commission announc

The Department of Energy today announces the opening of the reply comment period for its Request for Information implementing Executive Order 13563, seeking public comment on how best to review its existing regulations and to identify whether any of its existing regulations should be modified, streamlined, expanded, or repealed.

The Department of Energy today proposed to revise its rules to standardize how private parties applying for DOE assistance should submit trade secrets and other confidential business information.  Currently, different DOE programs have different rules for how to submit such information.  The confusion caused has made it difficult for the Department to respond promptly to Freedom of Information Act requests while meeting its obligations to protect confidential information.  The proposed rules, modeled on procedures used by the Department’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing  program

The Department has withdrawn as unwarranted the draft interpretative rule setting out the Department's views on the definition of a "showerhead" for purposes of the water conservation standard enacted by Congress in 1992. To provide certainty going forward, however, the Department today provides a brief enforcement guidance, which balances the Department’s obligation to enforce the congressional standard with its determination to avoid needless economic dislocation.

The Department of Energy today announced that,  in response to requests from a number of parties, it has re-opened the public comment period on its proposed revisions to the Department’s NEPA rules.  The public comment period will be extended three weeks and will now close on March 7, 2011. 

The Department of Energy today announced it has now settled two civil penalty actions against companies for violations of DOE regulations requiring that they certify products as compliant with federal efficiency standards.  In the first case, DOE cited Perlick Residential & Hospitality Products (Perlick) for failure to certify properly its residential refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers.  DOE agreed to accept a civil penalty of $5,000 for the certification violations to settle the case, after considering factors set forth in DOE’s penalty guidance

The Department of Energy today announced that its Office of the General Counsel has joined the Board of Directors of the International Trade Data System, and now has access to the U.S.