Conventional

Honors 101 - Science and the Public Good
Course Syllabus	Course Schedule	Assignments	Department Home Page	Kusnick Home Page

Conventional Energy

Hydroelectricity

Licensing
- Getting harder: 2 vs. 5 years
- Types of licensing
  - Integrated
  - Traditional
Alternative

	Integrated Licensing Process (ILP)	Traditional Licensing Process (TLP)	Alternative Licensing Process (ALP)
Consultation w/ Resource Agencies and Indian Tribes	Integrated	Paper Driven	Collaborative
FERC Staff Involvement	Pre-filing; beg. at filing of NOI-Early and sustained throughout process	-Post Application filing	-Pre-filing -Early involvement on requested basis
Deadlines	Defined deadlines for all participates throughout the process including FERC	-Pre-filing: some deadlines for participates -Post filing: defined deadlines for participants	-Pre-filing: deadlines defined by collaborative group -Post-filing: deadlines defined for participants
Study Plan Development	-Developed through study plant meetings -plan approved by FERC	-developed by applicant based on early agency and tribal recommendations -no FERC involvement	-developed by collaborative group -FERC staff assists as resources allow
Study Dispute Resolution	-Informal dispute resolution available -Formal dispute resolution available to agencies -OEP director opinion binding on applicant	-FERC study dispute resolution available -OEP director issues advisory opinion	-FERC study dispute resolution available -OEP director issues advisory opinion
Application	-Preliminary licensing proposal application and final application include exhibit E	-draft and final application include exhibit E	-Draft and final application with applicant prepared EA or 3rd party EIS
Addl Information Request	-Available to participants before filing -No add’l info requests after application period	-Available to participants after filing of application	-Available to participants primarily before filing -Post-filing requests should be limited
Timing of Resource Agency Terms and Conditions	-Preliminary terms and conditions filed 30 to 60 days after REA notice -Modified terms and conditions after 60 days after comments on draft	-Preliminary terms and conditions filed after 60 days after REA notice -Schedule for final terms and conditions	-Preliminary terms and conditions filed after 60 days after REA notice -Schedule for final terms and conditions

Hydro: other regulations

Safety and inspections
- FERC regulates both the construction and operational phase of a project.
- Inspections on regular basis
Animal endangerment
- Endangered Species Act
Taxes/Subsidies
- Internal Revenue Code of 1986
- Energy Policy Act of 2005

Coal

Creation of the EPA
- 1970 Congress amended the Clean Air Act of 1963
- This created the Environmental Protection Agency
- Significance: Regulations can now be enforced.
In 1971, New Source Performance Standards
- -EPA classified which air pollutants needed regulation
- -Coal-fired plants can only emit
  - 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million btu
  - .2-.8 pounds of nitrogen oxide per million btu
In 1977, Clean Air Act classified air quality in 3 classes:
- 1. Class I-Pristine Air
- 2. Class 2-Average Air
- 3. Class 3- Industrial Air
- -Placing strict restrictions on building coal-fired plants in Class 1
In late 1980’s, Coal-fired plant construction was at standstill.
- -Regulations so strict $1.8 billion was spent on pollution controls
In 1990, Clean Air Act was amended again
- -Decreasing sulfur emissions because of acid rain
- -Decreasing nitrogen oxide emissions
EPA is a government agency
Budget controlled by government
- -Cut budget of the EPA from $8.1 billion in 2001 to $7.1 billion in 2008
- -Impacts ability to enforce regulations
- -Last year only 172 investigators
- -President George H.W. Bush legal minimum is 200.

Petroleum Energy Policy

Petroleum price volatility, generated by OPEC member states’ sporadic exertion of market power, has directed the creation and adjustment of petroleum energy policy in the United States
Strategic Petroleum Reserve: world’s largest supply of emergency petroleum; established by Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 in response to 1973 Oil Embargo
Conservation: in 1974, Congress enforced a national 55 mph speed limit so as to increase fuel efficiency ; in 1975, Congress passed legislation that forced automakers to almost double the efficiency requirement in automobiles, from 14 miles per gallon in 1972 to 27.5 miles in 1987
Increasing Supply: the American Energy Independence and Security Act of 2008 proposes opening the 10-02 Area of ANWR to oil and gas leasing in response to high petroleum prices
Alternative Energy: the Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides incentives to encourage investments in alternative fuels, and in 2008 President-Elect Obama has vowed to end U.S. dependence on petroleum

Nuclear Power

Energy Policy of 2005/ Nuclear Power 2010
- Nuclear Power 2010 is a cost shared
- Provides tax credits, loan guarantees and insurance against regulatory delays
Nuclear Waste Policy Act
- Spent fuel and other highly radioactive waste is to be isolated in a deep underground repository
- Yucca Mountain is the only proposed site
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- NRC is designed to work with organizations
- Develop and amend regulations
- Inspects facilities, identifies safety issues
- Researches future methods and evaluates new designs
United States Department of Energy