Energy-Policy

ALEC's 'Electricity Freedom Act' Systematically Attacks State Renewable Energy Standards

| Importance: 8/10

In October 2012, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) adopted the ‘Electricity Freedom Act’—a model bill co-written with the fossil fuel-funded Heartland Institute that called for the nullification of state Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS). The legislation was …

American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Heartland Institute James Taylor Edison Electric Institute American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers +2 more alec renewable-energy fossil-fuels model-legislation regulatory-capture +3 more
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Entergy Purchases Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant for $180 Million, Memorandum of Understanding Creates Decade of Regulatory Conflict

| Importance: 7/10

On July 31, 2002, Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee LLC—a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation of New Orleans—completes its $180 million purchase of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant from Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, a consortium of eight New England utilities that originally owned the …

Entergy Corporation Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Vermont Public Service Board Vermont Department of Public Service Vermont General Assembly +1 more nuclear-power vermont-yankee corporate-regulation state-federal-conflict entergy +3 more
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Enron Files for Bankruptcy After Energy Task Force Influence

| Importance: 9/10

Enron filed for bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, marking the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history at the time, with $63.4 billion in assets. The collapse revealed extensive corporate fraud orchestrated by CEO Kenneth Lay and President Jeffrey Skilling, who manipulated financial statements and …

Enron Kenneth Lay Jeffrey Skilling Dick Cheney George W. Bush enron bankruptcy corporate-fraud corruption financial-crime +2 more
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National Energy Policy Adopts Enron Recommendations Verbatim

| Importance: 9/10

The Bush administration releases the National Energy Policy, revealing extensive incorporation of Enron’s recommendations. Analysis shows the task force adopted “all or significant portions” of Enron’s recommendations in seven of eight policy areas, with at least 17 policies …

Dick Cheney George W. Bush Enron Kenneth Lay National Energy Policy Development Group +1 more enron energy-policy corporate-capture regulatory-capture corruption +1 more
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National Energy Policy Report Released Reflecting Oil Industry Priorities

| Importance: 9/10

The Bush administration releases the National Energy Policy report developed by Cheney’s Energy Task Force, containing 105 recommendations that overwhelmingly favor fossil fuel industries while giving minimal attention to renewable energy. The report recommends opening the Arctic National …

George W. Bush Dick Cheney National Energy Policy Development Group ExxonMobil Shell Oil +6 more energy-policy corporate-capture oil-industry cheney-task-force regulatory-capture +3 more
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Cheney Energy Task Force Begins Secret Meetings with Enron Executives

| Importance: 9/10

Vice President Dick Cheney initiated secret meetings of the National Energy Policy Development Group, systematically involving Enron executives like Kenneth Lay while excluding environmental groups. Between late January and April 2001, the task force held at least 40 meetings with energy industry …

Dick Cheney Kenneth Lay George W. Bush energy-policy corporate-capture cheney enron regulatory-capture +1 more
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Cheney Creates Secret Energy Task Force with Oil Executives

| Importance: 8/10

Vice President Dick Cheney established the National Energy Policy Development Group conducting secret meetings with oil industry executives while excluding environmental groups. Between late January and April 2001, Cheney’s task force held at least 40 meetings with energy interests versus just …

Dick Cheney ExxonMobil Shell Oil BP America Conoco +2 more energy-policy corporate-capture cheney oil-industry secrecy +1 more
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Natural Gas Policy Act Begins Energy Sector Deregulation

| Importance: 7/10

President Jimmy Carter signed the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) into law on November 9, 1978, following Senate passage on September 27 (57-42 vote) and House passage on October 14 (231-168 vote). The legislation was part of Carter’s National Energy Act of 1978, a response to the 1973 energy …

Jimmy Carter deregulation energy-policy neoliberalism corporate-profit
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Public Utility Holding Company Act Breaks Up Utility Monopolies

| Importance: 8/10

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA) into law on August 26, 1935, based on the 1928-1935 Federal Trade Commission investigation of the electric industry that exposes widespread abuses by large multistate utility corporations. The Act addresses …

Franklin D. Roosevelt Federal Trade Commission Electric Utility Industry Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) utility-regulation new-deal anti-monopoly regulatory-victory corporate-restructuring +1 more
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