On January 8, 2025, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) reversed its longstanding enforcement stance, holding that landlords will be regulated as a “gas pipeline operators” when furnishing gas to their tenants using behind-the-meter gas distribution systems on their properties. In addition to aboveground and underground pipelines, the commission now claims jurisdiction over gas piping contained entirely within buildings.
The PA PUC’s unprecedented interpretation will require any landlord—regardless of size and whether they own one building or many in one complex—to comply with federal gas pipeline safety laws, including the federal Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Administration, which have historically only applied to natural gas distribution companies and gas pipeline operators. Further, the PUC held that submetered properties are defined as master meter systems when meeting the other factors of the definition. These new, onerous and costly requirements include registration, operation, maintenance and reporting obligations, undoubtedly resulting in increased costs to landlords.
Read the full alert at the Duane Morris LLP Website.
Enforcement of New Solar Panel Tariffs Delayed in Move to Boost Industry
On June 6, 2022, President Joe Biden signed an order that will exempt Southeast Asian nations from any new tariffs on solar panels for two years in order to alleviate concerns about the crippling effects of an ongoing Commerce Department investigation into whether manufacturers of solar panel components in Southeast Asia are being used to circumvent U.S. tariffs on Chinese solar companies. Biden will also invoke the Defense Protection Act to drive U.S. manufacturing of solar panels and other clean energy technologies in the future, with the support of loans and grants. If production ramps up as expected, the administration expects domestic solar manufacturing to triple by 2024.
To read the full text of this Alert by Duane Morris attorneys Brad Thompson and Patrick Dinnin, please click here.
New York on the Path to Requiring All-Electric Buildings
Developers of new buildings in New York state and of new and renovated buildings in New York City may soon be prohibited from powering and heating their buildings with any fossil fuels. Bills are pending in the New York Senate and the New York City Council that, if enacted, would require newly constructed buildings in the state―and in the case of the city, renovated buildings―to be developed as all-electric buildings. With stakeholder opposition to both bills, either could see changes as they work their way through their respective legislative processes.
To read the full text of this Alert by Duane Morris attorney Phyllis Kessler, please visit the Firm website.