A recent study by the HRC has revealed lack of transparency in green-pricing programs offered by utilities around the country.

The Senate, last Thursday, confirmed John Norris to be the newest member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Norris is currently serving as chief of staff for Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. He served as the chairman of the Iowa Utilities Board from 2005 to 2009.

Citing a Swiss study, a recent AP article warns that the rapid melting of glaciers due to climate change poses short-term opportunities and long-term risks for hydropower, thereby stressing the need for improving efficiency in existing hydro projects.

The hugely popular dameffects website (www.dameffects.org) is now available in Spanish.

FERC Commissioner Suedeen Kelly will not be seeking a third term at FERC. President Obama had recently nominated Kelly to her third term but her nomination was pending in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Following a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2009, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Minerals Management Service s(MMS) have issued a guidance document that clarifies a lot of the process and jurisdictional questions regarding development of hydrokinetic projects on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

President Obama has nominated John R. Norris, Chief of Staff for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, to serve as the Commissioner at FERC.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between FERC and the State of Washington to streamline the regulatory structure for development of hydrokinetic projects in Washington.

The end of Washington's 2009 legislative session saw constituent based Initiative 937 protected and still in effect -- but not without almost daily changes to both energy and river impacts.