Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.

Log into Webinar
8:00 – 8:30 am EDT
Morning Session
8:30 – 11:45 am EDT
Break
11:45 am – 12:45 pm EDT
Afternoon Session
12:45 – 4:00 pm EDT


Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC)                     J. Nase

Practice and Procedures
PUC procedures – hearings before administrative law judges
and review by the Commission
Formal complaints, applications, rate cases and formal investigations
Settlements and mediation
Informal complaints and informal investigations
Damage Prevention Committee

Energy Project Siting and Development                     L. Berkstresser
Transmission planning
PJM
FERC Order 1000
Reliability
Market efficiency
State siting process

Alternative Ratemaking at the PUC                                         D. Ryan
Events leading up to passage of alternative ratemaking legislation in PA
Alternative rates and rate mechanisms
• Decoupling mechanisms
• Performance-based rates
• Formula rates
• Multiyear rate plans
PA PUC Final Policy Statement Order
Impact on traditional ratemaking for utilities
Impact on utilities’ energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C)
and distributed generation efforts

Understanding Utility Easements and Rights of Way                     R. Bowman
Current laws and regulations on utility rights of way
Types of utilities affected: electric, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer,
natural gas, telecommunications
Basis for and definition of the easement
Risks for junior owners in encroachments and interferences
Maintenance
Environmental issues
Do any utilities have eminent domain rights?

The Ethics of Accessing a Utility Easement                     R. Bowman
Duty to disclose
Ensuring client understands what is being asked/given
What happens if a client refuses a request for an easement?
Duty of good faith
Conflicts of interest

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)                     S. Hann
Construction Storm Water Permitting
NPDES program overview
Construction stormwater permit requirements
• Changes to PAG-02 Permitting
Construction stormwater compliance and enforcement


Webinar Instructions

All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

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The two most recent version of the following browsers:
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Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled


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Credits

Professional Engineers
6.0 Pennsylvania PDHs

Pennsylvania Attorneys
Pending


Continuing Education Credit Information
This live interactive webinar offers 6.0 PDHs/continuing
education hours to professional engineers licensed in
Pennsylvania. Educators and courses are not subject to
preapproval in Pennsylvania.

HalfMoon Education has applied for approval in
Pennsylvania, which is pending. Updates will be available on
www.halfmoonseminars.org under this course listing.

Course completion certificates will be awarded to
participants who complete the webinar in its entirety,
respond to all the prompts during the instruction, and
earn a score of 80% on the quiz that follows the instruction
(multiple attempts allowed).

Speakers

Lindsay A. Berkstresser

Post & Schell P.C.

Lindsay A. Berkstresser is an associate in Post & Schell P.C.’s Energy & Utilities Practice Group, where she represents energy companies in regulatory matters arising under federal and state laws before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PAPUC) and appellate courts. Ms. Berkstresser counsels natural gas, electric and water utilities and oil pipeline companies on ratemaking, energy project siting and development, tariff and contract provisions, administrative litigation, and transactional matters. She also advises clients on regulatory compliance issues and newly enacted and pending legislation.

Rebecca Bowman, Esq., P.E., D.F.E.

Attorney at Law Office of Rebecca Bowman, Principal

Ms. Bowman is a sole proprietor, practicing in dispute resolution, estate planning, civil engineering, real estate, legal services, strategic development, and training. She is experienced in dispute resolution, estate planning and administration, engineering design and forensic analysis, construction/project management, real estate, small business start-up, employment law, and nonprofit support. She is a registered professional engineer and a certified arbitrator and mediator. Mrs. Bowman writes a column for the PE Reporter, “Risky Business,” and she lectures for the Community College of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania State University, the Washington County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and others. She earned her B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota, her M.B.A. degree from Oklahoma University, and her J.D. degree from Duquesne University. She just completed her Certificate in Sustainability Policy from Penn State and has recently joined the National Society of Professional Engineers as their Senior Director of Ethics and Professional Practice.

Steven Hann, Esquire

Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell &I Lupin, PC

Mr. Hann focuses his practice on environmental law and municipal law, and chairs the firm’s Environmental Law Department. He represents a diverse client base, which includes municipal authorities, municipalities, business entities, builders and developers. Steve personally handles all facets of a sophisticated environmental law practice, such as environmental litigation with federal and state government agencies and private parties, advising/representing clients on regulatory, permitting and compliance matters, and guiding clients on environmental issues arising in business and real estate transactions. He provides clients with experienced counseling on federal and state legislative and regulatory developments.  Mr. Hann has developed an extensive practice in the area of municipal law, with a specific emphasis on municipal authorities. Steve is the East Region Solicitor (responsible for the eastern half of Pennsylvania) for the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (“PMAA”), an organization representing the interests of over 700 municipal authorities in Pennsylvania.  He provides guidance to PMAA member authorities and firm clients on a variety of municipal authority-related matters, including general water, wastewater and environmental issues; stormwater management; permitting; regulatory compliance; sewage facilities planning; waste load management; board member issues; tapping fees and rates; water and sewer regulations; and, compliance with state law bidding and procurement requirements. Steve provides experienced counseling on various statutes, such as the Municipality Authorities Act, Sunshine Act, Right-to-Know Law and Ethics Act. He has been appointed as both solicitor and special counsel for municipal entities, and has been retained as both an expert and mediator in matters involving municipal authorities. He is a frequent author and speaker on both environmental law and municipal law-related issues.  

Jonathan Nase

Cozen O'Connor P.C.

Jonathan Nase is a member in the Harrisburg Office of Cozen O’Connor P.C., where his practice focuses on public utility law and administrative law. He has experience representing utilities, municipalities and municipal authorities in rate cases, mergers and acquisitions, energy efficiency and conservation proceedings, formal complaints and other matters. Before joining Cozen O’Connor, Mr. Nase worked for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, including eight years as the Deputy Director – Legal of the Office of Special Assistants.

Devin Ryan

Post & Schell P.C.

Devin T. Ryan is an associate in Post & Schell P.C.’s Energy and Utilities Practice Group. He represents electric, natural gas, water, and transportation network companies in a variety of proceedings before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, including base rate proceedings, rulemaking proceedings, customer complaint proceedings, energy efficiency and conservation plan proceedings, application proceedings initiated under Section 1102 of the Public Utility Code, and purchased gas cost cases. Mr. Ryan has also practiced before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concerning energy and public utility-related matters.