National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners: Winter Committee Meetings

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Friday, February 3

1:00 PM

5:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications

Grand North

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Saturday, February 4

8:45 AM

5:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications

Grand North

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12:00 PM

3:00 PM

Subcommittee on Education and Research

Meeting Room 2

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Sunday, February 5

7:30 AM

9:00 AM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

7:30 AM

6:30 PM

On-Site Registration Open

Ballroom Foyer

8:30 AM

12:00 PM

NARUC/FERC: Smart Response and Emerging Issues Collaboratives

Grand Central

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8:30 AM

Emerging Issues Collaborative
Welcome and Introductions

Speakers

Hon. John Norris - Commissioner - FERC
Hon. Phyllis Reha - Commissioner - Minnesota PUC

8:35 AM

Emerging Issues Collaborative
Gas and Electric Interdependencies have drawn significant attention in recent months with the release last August of a joint report from FERC and NERC on the power outages and gas shortages resulting from a cold snap in the southwestern United States last February and the more recent release by NERC of a special reliability assessment titled "A Primer on the Natural Gas and Electric Interdependencies in the U.S."

With gas-fired generation becoming an increasing part of the electric resource mix, there is a greater potential for the risks and challenges facing either industry to impact the other. New challenges will require new approaches to improve coordination and communication between the two industries. In addition, a new role for physical and financial options, including access to storage, dual-fuel capabilities, new products and services, different approaches to contracting, and additional gas and electric transportation infrastructure will all be needed to ensure safe, reliability service at just and reasonable rates.

Join a panel of experts, representing a range of industry perspectives, to discuss these important issues, using a stress-test scenario to highlight the challenges facing those who operate the electric and gas systems on a daily basis.

Hon. John Norris - Commissioner - FERC
Hon. Phyllis Reha - Commissioner - Minnesota PUC

10:00 AM

Joint Session of the Smart Response and Emerging Issues Collaboratives
A Day in the Life of the MISO Market
A visual representation of the MISO market as prices change and fluctuate throughout a given day, along with commentary, analysis and hypotheticals to help regulators see how the market operates and how policy decisions impact the market.

Paul J. Feldman - MISO Board

10:40 AM

Smart Response Collaborative
Welcome and Introductions

Hon. Jon Wellinghoff - Chairman - FERC
Hon. Orjiakor Isiogu - Commissioner - Michigan PSC

10:45 AM

Smart Response Collaborative
Green Button: Smart Response
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will discuss their Green Button Initiative-- to help customers easily access their energy usage information in a standardized manner. They have teamed with three California IOUs to implement Green Button and plan for more widespread adoption.

Speaker

Aneesh Chopra - United States Chief Technology Officer - White House Office of Science & Technology Policy

11:00 AM

Smart Response Collaborative
Smart Response Now
This session will feature three existing projects that enable customers to participate in the grid and provide an opportunity to discuss the best practices and lessons learned from these projects.

Moderators	Hon. Jon Wellinghoff - Chairman - FERC Hon. Orjiakor Isiogu - Commissioner - Michigan PSC
Panelists	Allen Freifeld - Senior VP of External Affairs - Viridity Energy Darren Hammell - Executive VP Business Development - Princeton Power Sarav Periasamy - President & CEO - PERI Software

12:00 PM

Adjourn

9:00 AM

11:45 AM

Subcommittee on Clean Coal and Carbon Sequestration

Congressional BR

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9:00 AM

12:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs

Meeting Room 12-14

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9:00 AM

3:45 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications

Grand North

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9:00 AM

11:45 PM

Subcommittee on Utility Marketplace Access

Renaissance East

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9:00 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks
* UMA Honorary Resolution for Former Chair Arnetta McRae
* Resolution encouraging Inclusion of HBCU's in the Development of Long Term Strategic Partnerships to Address Pending Retirements of Utility Professionals

Hon. Harold D. Williams - UMA Chair, Commissioner - Maryland PSC

9:10 AM

Presentations

Speakers

Arthur Morton - Northeast Green Energy, LLC
Sarav Periasamy - President & CEO - Perisoftware

9:30 AM

Historic Black Colleges/Universities and Workforce Readiness of the Utility Industry
According to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, as of 2008, about 53 percent of the utilities industry workforce is age 45 or older and many of these workers will retire within the next 10 years. This has caused senior leadership at investor-owned utilities throughout North America to assess their workforce readiness to replace retiring employees. These leaders cite statistics of about 45-65 percent of senior engineers are at or are nearing retirement. To that end, the Historic Black Colleges/Universities panel will discuss workforce readiness activities within the utility industry in preparing the requisite workforce. Additionally, the panel will discuss inventorying, assessing green job demands, diverse and inclusion opportunities, wages, skills and competencies for such jobs. The utility panel members will discuss diversity recruitment efforts and outreach.

Moderator	Hon. Nikki Hall - Commissioner - South Carolina PSC
Panelists	Dr. Eugene M. DeLoatch - Dean, School of Engineering - Morgan State U Daniel F. Packer, Jr. - Chairman - American Association of Blacks in Energy Dr. Sonya T. Smith, Ph.D. - Professor and Chair, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering - Howard Univ. Thomas H. Graham - President - Pepco Region Nancy Smith-Taylor - Manager of Diversity and Workforce Development - Sempra Energy

10:50 AM

General discussion
* Mission Statement Update/finalization
* UMA led effort to attend the Regional meetings
* Staff Subcommittee Report
* State Supplier Diversity Updates
* Potential panel topics for the Summer meetings

Obi Linton - Chair - UMA Staff Subcommittee

11:55 AM

Closing Remarks

Hon. Harold D. Williams - Commissioner - Maryland PSC

12:00 PM

Adjourn

10:15 AM

10:30 AM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

10:30 AM

11:30 AM

Share Your Energy Regulatory Expertise (Commissioners & Staff only)

Meeting Room 6

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10:30 AM

12:45 PM

New Commissioner Forum (Closed Meeting)

Meeting Room 15

12:30 PM

4:00 PM

Committee on International Relations

Renaissance East

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12:30 PM

Terry Barnich Award
An annual Award for Promoting International Cooperation among Utility Regulators and Development of Professional Regulation to acknowledge important contributions made by an outstanding individual from among the NARUC membership (State commissioners and/or commission staff) who have dedicated their time, energy and expertise to furthering regulatory best practices in a global environment. Dedicated to the former Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission (1989 to 1992) Terrence "Terry" Barnich, who was killed on Memorial Day, May 25th, 2009, while working as the Deputy Director of the State Department office overseeing U.S. reconstruction projects in Iraq. He was a dedicated public servant and an active NARUC member.

Presented to the Honorable Kevin Gunn, Chairman, Missouri Public Service Commission.

Hon. Kevin Gunn - Chairman - Missouri PSC

1:00 PM

Welcome Remarks and Introductions

Hon. David Armstrong - Chairman - Kentucky PSC; Committee Chair
Hon. Kevin Gunn - Chairman - Missouri PSC; Committee Co Vice-Chair
Hon. Gaétan Caron - Chair and CEO - NEB, Canada; Committee Co-Vice Chair

1:10 PM

Approval of the Minutes

1:15 PM

Report from International Relations Staff Subcommittee
Link to draft IRC Strategic Plan: Goal 3 (The stated goals of our international programs are achieved)

Raman Ravishankar - Committee Chair

1:20 PM

Regulatory Challenges Going Forward

Robert Archer - Senior Energy Advisor, Bureau for Europe & Eurasia - USAID

1:30 PM

Panel Discussion on Renewables: International & US Issues
Link to draft IRC Strategic Plan: Goal 4 (The international utility regulatory community is increasingly inter-connected and finds concrete responses to common challenges and opportunities)

Moderator	Hon. David Armstrong
Panelists	Hon. Francisco Xavier Salazar - President - Mexico Comision Reguladora De Energia Dr. Lola Infante - Director, Generation Fuels and Market Analysis - EEI Jay Godfrey - Managing Director, Renewable Energy - AEP Committee Questions & Open Discussion

2:45 PM

World Forum on Energy Regulation V - Update

Hon. Jean-Paul Théorêt - President - Quebec Regie de L'Energie

2:50 PM

NARUC International Programs - Update
Link to draft IRC Strategic Plan: Goal 3 (The stated goals of our international programs are achieved)

Erin Skootsky - Director, International Programs - NARUC

3:00 PM

Commissioners & Commission Staff Roundtable on Current and Future International Activities
Regulatory Partnerships
* Colorado - Jordan
* Illinois - Kosovo
* Iowa - Armenia
* Kentucky - Georgia
* Michigan - Nigeria
* Missouri - Moldova
* New York - Ukraine
* Organization of MISO States - Black Sea regulators
Regional Association Collaboration & Activities
* ABAR (Brazil, Landfill Gas to Energy Project)
* ACERCA (Central America)
* AFUR (Africa)
* CEER (European Union)
* ERRA (Central/Eastern Europe & Eurasia)
* RERA (Southern Africa)
Status Report on the activities of the International Confederation of Energy Regulators (ICER)’s Working Groups
1. Reliability and Security of Supply (Chaired by MEDREG)
2. Regulatory Role in Climate Change (Chaired by CEER)
3. Competitiveness & Affordability (Chaired by CAMPUT)
4. Training, Education & Best Practices (Chaired by NARUC

4:00 PM

Adjourn

12:30 PM

5:00 PM

Committee on Consumer Affairs

Congressional Ballroom

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12:30 PM

Terry Barnich Award (This session will be held in the Renaissance East )
The members of the Committee on Consumer Affairs have been invited to join the Committee on International Relations for their award ceremony in honor of former Illinois Commissioner Terry Barnich. This meeting will take place in Renaissance East.

1:15 PM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Hon. Betsy Wergin - Chair - Committee on Consumer Affairs
Hon. Jack Betkoski - Vice Chair - Committee on Consumer Affairs

1:20 PM

Federal Agency Reports

Speakers

Kevin Kelly - FERC
Chuck Harwood - Deputy Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection - FTC
Joel Gurin - Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau - FCC

2:00 PM

Should VoIP Service Outages Continue to Stay Under the Radar?
Joint session with Committee on Telecommunications
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed to extend service outage reporting requirements currently applied to incumbent and competitive local exchange carriers, and wireless, cable and satellite communications service providers to interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") service providers. The FCC reports a significant growth in consumer subscribership for broadband Internet access and for VoIP services, reflecting an "increasing reliance on [those] services [by American consumers] to conduct important daily communications" including access to E 9-1-1, police, fire, medical and other emergency services. Panelists will address the question: Does the risk of VoIP service outages to consumers justify the burden on VoIP service providers to report significant service outages to the FCC?

Moderators	Hon. Betty Ann Kane - Chair - District of Columbia PSC Hon. Betsy Wergin - Commissioner - Minnesota PUC
Panelists	Christopher White - Managing Attorney, Telco/Cable Sector - NJ Division of Rate Counsel Mike Romano - Senior VP - Policy - National Telecoms. Cooperative Assn. Steve Morris - VP & Associate General Counsel - National Cable Television Association Mike Oldak - VP & General Counsel - Utilities Telecom Council Robert Mayer - VP - Industry & State Affairs - US Telecom

3:30 PM

Business Meeting: Reports & Consideration of Resolutions

Speakers

Charlie Acquard - Executive Director - NASUCA
Sandra Sloane - Chair - Staff Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs

4:30 PM

Adjourn

1:00 PM

3:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Electric Reliability

Grand Central

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1:00 PM

Opening & Introductions

Diane Barney - Chair

1:05 PM

Transmission & Distribution Efficiency: A More Efficient Electrical System and a Lower Carbon Future
Energy efficiency is usually associated with end-use efficiency measures such as compact florescent light bulbs, higher efficient air conditioning and other end-use energy saving appliances. However, A kilowatt-hour saved in generation, power delivery or through end-use efficiency measures is a kilowatt-hour less generated, and helps reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions, and, if measured and verified, it might help to meet expected efficiency mandates. The industry should look toward the entire value chain for efficiency opportunities including the transmission and distribution system. This presentation will highlight EPRI’s efforts for improving efficiency of both the transmission and distribution systems to achieve a lower carbon future including the Distribution Green Circuits and EPRI’s Green Transmission Initiative.

Karen R. Forsten - Director - Renewable Integration, Operations & Planning - Power Delivery and Utilization, EPRI

1:35 PM

How Reliable Is the Electric System? A Country-Wide View
Update on recent DOE-sponsored reliability research, including findings from the just-released LBNL report entitled "An Examination of Temporal Trends in Electricity Reliability Based on Reports from U.S. Electric Utilities." The report analyzes up to 10 years of electricity reliability information collected from 155 U.S. electric utilities, which together account for roughly 50% of total U.S. electricity sales to answer three questions:
* Are there trends in reported electricity reliability over time?
* How are trends in reported electricity reliability affected by the installation or upgrade of an automated outage management system?
* How are trends in reported electricity reliability affected by the use of IEEE Standard 1366-2003?
The full report can also be downloaded from: http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/psw-pubs.html.

Joseph H. Eto - Staff Scientist - DOE LBNL

2:00 PM

NERC Standard Compliance: How are we doing?
When the North American Electric Reliability Corporation became the entity that creates bulk electric system reliability standards, it also became the policeman to ensure the standards are being met, the court that weighs guilt or innocence, and the fining agency for egregious behavior. Over the past four years, NERC has created, retooled, matured, and supplemented its process on compliance. Given the amount of money that can be at stake, industry and regulators have looked over NERC’s shoulder as it has developed its processes. This panel will present the current processes NERC employs for compliance and enforcement and discuss how well these processes are serving to ensure a reliable bulk electric system.

Speakers

Rebecca Michael - Associate General Counsel - NERC
Matthew McVee - Partner - Troutman Sanders
James Fama - Vice President - Energy Delivery - EEI

1:00 PM

5:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Meeting Room 10-11

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1:00 PM

5:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Gas

Meeting Room 12-14

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1:00 PM

Welcome and Introductions

Robert E. Reed - Natural Gas Manager - Alabama PSC
Laura Demman - Director and Legal Counsel - Natural Gas Department, Nebraska PSC

1:10 PM

Natural Gas in the Transportation Market: Regulation, Business Models, Needed Infrastructure, and Rates
There is more than one business model that providers can utilize in the provision of natural gas service to the transportation market. Cynthia Marple will briefly review those business models, discuss infrastructure needed to service the transportation market, and give an overview of the types of regulated rates that have been used under the regulated business model.

Cynthia J. Marple - Director, Rates and Regulatory Affairs - American Gas Association

1:40 PM

Should the U.S. Export LNG?
The abundance of shale gas in the US, coupled with possibly stranded investment in LNG import facilities appears to be leading to conversion of those plants to LNG export facilities. What will be the consequences to US ratepayers of these actions?

Ken Costello - Principal - NRRI

2:15 PM

Networking Break

2:30 PM

Gas Technology Institute Update
Joint session the Committee on Critical Infrastructure
Ron Edelstein will introduce GTI's Emerging Technology Program (ETP). The ETP is designed to pass over the "valley of death" that occurs between the last field test of the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) cycle and full-scale commercialization. The ETP is designed to remove market barriers to successful deployment of high-efficiency end-use appliances and other equipment. Ron will discuss initial efforts and future plans.

Ron Edelstein - Director, Regulatory and Government Relations - Gas Technology Institute

3:15 PM

FERC Pipeline Projects Update

Richard Foley - Branch Chief / Program Manager, Division of Pipeline Certificates - Office of Energy Projects, FERC

3:45 PM

A Review of EIA's Natural Gas Projections from the Annual Energy Outlook 2012 Early Release.

Angelina LaRose - Team Leader, Gas Markets Team, Office of Energy Analysis - U.S. EIA

4:00 PM

Effect of Increased Natural Gas Exports on Domestic Energy Markets
In August 2011 the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy requested an analysis of "the impact of increased domestic natural gas demand, as exports." Specifically, the report assesses how specified scenarios of increased natural gas exports could affect domestic energy markets, focusing on consumption, production, and prices.

Angelina LaRose - Team Leader, Gas Markets Team, Office of Energy Analysis - U.S. EIA

4:30 PM

Update of Recent State Actions and Issues

Bob Reed - Natural Gas Manager - Alabama PSC
Laura Demman - Director and Legal Counsel, Natural Gas Department - Nebraska PSC

5:00 PM

Adjourn

1:00 PM

5:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety

Meeting Room 16

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1:30 PM

3:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Utility Marketplace Access

Meeting Room 7

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1:30 PM

5:00 PM

Committee & Staff Subcommittee on Critical Infrastructure

Grand South

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1:30 PM

Business Session
* Welcome and Introductions
* Committee/Staff Subcommittee Business
* Resolutions (if any)

Hon. Terry Jarrett - Committee Chair - Missouri PSC
Thomas Pearce - Staff Subcommittee Chair

1:45 PM

Advancing our Nation's Energy Assurance
Pipes frozen? Live wires down? Blackish brownouts? In this session, attendees will learn in more detail, the ongoing Federal and State efforts regarding our level of Energy Assurance. Discussions will include:
* Lessons learned and key conclusions from the four multi-state regional energy assurance exercises held in 2011 as a means to improve and refine State Energy Assurance plans and how to enhance regional coordination;
* Cybersecurity (a topic in some of the regional exercises) and what States can do to strengthen their capabilities in this area;
* Systematic training needs and program development for introductory and advanced training for both policy makers and staff (a pilot of this program will be held in early 2012).
Also discussed will be the current planning underway for a National meeting on Energy Assurance in 2012, and how to sustain these vital, ongoing Energy Assurance efforts at the state, regional, and national levels.

Alice Lippert - Sr. Technical Advisor, Ofc of Elec Delivery & Energy Reliability - U.S. DOE
Jeff Pillon - Director, Energy Assurance - NASEO

2:15 PM

Extreme Weather Events: Preparing for the Unpredictable
Patrick Young once said, "The trouble with weather forecasting is that it's right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it." 2011 was the year of Extreme Weather in the United States. From extreme cold to extreme heat, to unseasonal flooding, to deadly wildfires, to damaging earthquakes, to severe droughts, to record-setting tornadoes, to an active hurricane season, we saw it all last year. What made matters worse is that a number of these events happened in unexpected parts of the country at unexpected times. This panel of experts will address how State commissions and the utility industry can prepare for unpredictable extreme weather situations.

Moderator	Regina Chapline - Emergency Management & Reliability Coordinator - Texas PUC
Panelists	Hon. Kenneth Anderson - Commissioner - Texas PUC Bob Farmer - Director of Response Operations - FEMA Trip Doggett - CEO - ERCOT Dr. Ed O'Lenic - Chief, Operations Branch, Climate Prediction Center - NOAA Dr. Carey King - Research Assoc., Ctr for Int'l Energy and Environmental Policy - Univ. of Texas

3:10 PM

Networking Break

3:30 PM

Asset Management 101
Our modern economy is supported by a vast network of infrastructure that is aging faster than we are replacing it. We know that we need resilient infrastructure that provides sustainable and economic service. It is incumbent upon regulatory commissions to evaluate the prudency of massive capital expenditures to redress historical investment deficiency. Will formalized asset management practices help utilities discipline these investment decisions? Learn what every regulator should know about asset management. What is it? How does it work? Who uses it? What benefits can it offer consumers?

Speaker

Ms. Sonia Brubaker - Environmental Protection Specialist - U.S. EPA

4:30 PM

Adjourn

2:15 PM

2:30 PM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

3:00 PM

5:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Electricity

Grand Central

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3:15 PM

Opening/Business Meeting
* Welcome and Introductions
* Resolutions
* Other Business

Kim Wissman - Chair, Staff Subcommittee on Electricity

3:30 PM

NARUC/DOE Nuclear Energy Partnership Project: Setting Directions
In September, NARUC proposed a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy to ensure that the expertise, resources, and policymaking priorities of the Department are available to State regulators. This partnership will:

* Conduct Nuclear Energy Partnership dialogues at the DOE National Laboratories, at nuclear generation facilities, a planned or working storage site, or at another site identified through mutual dialogue; and
* Develop a State-Federal partnership to develop analysis of key policy issues and pursue workable approaches.

NARUC and DOE staff will brief the Subcommittee on the resources available, and facilitate a session to get input from the States, to brainstorm and to develop an outline for a specific workplan that meets the States' needs.

Speakers Miles Keogh - Director, Grants & Research - NARUC
Representative - U.S. DOE

3:45 PM

What are YOU doing to comply with FERC Order 1000?
Hear from industry experts regarding what some entities are doing regarding regional and inter-regional planning efforts as required in FERC Order 1000. We will hear from a small panel on their efforts, allow time for questions and answers, as well as provide an opportunity for others to offer up thoughts and contributions on their efforts.

Speakers

Rob Berntsen - VP, State Regulatory - MISO
Craig Glazer - VP, Federal Government Policy - PJM, Inc.
Ray Stalter - Director, Regulatory Affairs - NYISO
Lindy Fisker - Director, Federal Regulation - Arizona Public Service Company

4:40 PM

How Can States Be Players In The Bulk Planning Process?
In view of the "open door" created by FERC Order 1000 and by the DOE interconnection studies that engaged Commissioners in EISPC and the Western Grid, discussion will focus on some options for discussion. States may focus on policy issues that concern them most (like energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation, etc.) through either a formalized group or informal regional groupings.

Speaker

Robert Marritz - Editor & Publisher - ElectricityPolicy.com

5:00 PM

Adjourn

3:30 PM

5:00 PM

Washington Action meeting (Commissioners/Staff only)

Meeting Room 3

3:45 PM

4:00 PM

Ballroom Foyer

5:00 PM

6:30 PM

Welcome Reception...sponsored in part by America's Natural Gas Alliance & the Business Council for Sustainable Energy

Renaissance Ballroom

Monday, February 6

7:30 AM

9:00 AM

Networking Break...sponsored in part by VISA

Ballroom Foyer

7:30 AM

5:00 PM

On-Site Registration Open

Ballroom Foyer

9:00 AM

10:30 AM

General Session

Ballroom South-Central

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9:00 AM

40 for 40: Reflecting on EPRI's 40-Year Relationship with NARUC, and Predicting What's Coming
Modernizing the nation's electricity infrastructure will be a daunting task. New technologies will be essential as utilities look to upgrade their systems and become cleaner and more efficient. Doing so in a way that does not overburden the consumer will take a true partnership between the public and private sectors. For the past 40 years, EPRI has provided the foundation for such a partnership. Since its founding in 1972, State commissioners have participated on EPRI's Advisory Council, providing important insights and public interest perspectives into the discussions informing EPRI's research and development portfolios. Through technology innovations over the past 40 years, the electricity industry has been able to provide a highly reliable system, maintain relatively stable nominal retail electricity prices, substantially reduce the environmental impact of electricity generation, and support U.S. and global economic growth.

EPRI and NARUC will commemorate the 40th anniversary of their working relationship with this special session. Dr. Michael Howard, EPRI President and CEO, will outline the continuing need for technology innovation in the electricity sector. He will be followed by a All-Pro panel of NARUC Committee Chairs, consumer advocates, and utility CEOs for a fascinating discussion on how we can collectively achieve the forward-looking vision for a power system that provides electricity in a reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible manner.

Moderator Dr. Michael Howard - President and CEO - EPRI

Panelists Hon. Terry Jarrett - Commissioner - Missouri PSC
Nicholas K. Akins - President & CEO - AEP
Pat Vincent-Collawn - President, CEO & Chairman - PNM Resources, Inc.
Hon. Lori Murphy Lee - Commissioner - District of Columbia PSC
Bryce Freeman - Administrator - Wyoming Consumer Advocate

10:15 AM

Confessions of a Recovering Regulator
Michael K. Powell, President & CEO of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), served as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2001 to 2005 and a member of the FCC for eight years, during one of the most tumultuous periods in the nation’s telecommunications history. Since joining NCTA in April 2011, Powell has continued to be a national leader and advocate for the transformative power of broadband, and is working with the U.S. cable industry to empower consumers and deliver the promise of digital technology to society in innovative ways. In this session Mr. Powell will outline his vision of how regulators can move beyond the narrow strictures of the past to embrace the future of infinite possibilities.

Michael Powell - Chairman & CEO, NCTA - Former Chairman, FCC

10:30 AM

10:45 AM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

10:45 AM

4:00 PM

Staff Subcommittee on Law

Meeting Room 7

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10:45 AM

5:15 PM

Committee & Staff Subcommittee on Water

Renaissance West A

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10:45 AM

Non-Invasive Pipeline Assessment Panel and Demonstration
An overview of acoustic diagnosis of pipeline condition along with two case studies and a taped demonstration from the streets of Washington, D.C.

Moderator	Russ Titus - Operations Supervisor - New Jersey American Water
Panelists	John Marciszewski - Director, Business Development - Echologics John Dyksen - VP, Capital Projects - United Water Fred Pfeifer - Water Asset Strategy Manager - WSSC Marc Bracken (Remote Demo) - VP & General Manager - Echologics

11:45 AM

Lunch (on your own)

1:15 PM

Replacement Prioritization - More than (Pipeline) Skin Deep
Pipeline prioritization has evolved into a complex evaluation of many factors and is a key part of today's water system asset management. As an example, Aqua's model will be reviewed.

Frank Grablutz - Senior Project Engineer - Aqua

1:45 PM

Failure to Act - Civil Engineers Report on Infrastructure
Aging water infrastructure will cost U.S. businesses $147 billion over the next decade as found by the ASCE in a recent report. The "pay now or pay more later" findings will be discussed.

Brian Pallasch, CAE - Director, Government Relations & Infrastructure Initiatives - American Society of Civil Engineers

2:30 PM

Networking Break

2:45 PM

Performance Measures and Benchmarking - What Works for Water?
A panel discussion of appropriate performance measures for water companies given the unique challenges and requirements facing the industry.

Moderator	Steve Klick - Executive Policy Manager - Office of PA PUC Chairman Robert Powelson
Panelists	Scott Haskins - VP &Director, Tech, Quality & Innovation - CH2M Hill Stephen Schmitt, P.E. - VP-Operations Services - American Water Works Service Co

3:45 PM

New and Pending Infrastructure Programs and Legislation
A roundtable discussion and update on new Infrastructure Initiatives.

4:15 PM

Committee Discussion of 3I Day
Comments and reactions from the Committee on the presentations and panels of Innovative Infrastructure Insight Day.

10:45 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Electricity

Grand South-Central

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10:45 AM

Business Meeting

1:15 PM

CFTC Issues: How Does Financial Reform Impact Utilities?
Joint session with Committees on Gas and Consumer Affairs
The Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act provides for an exemption for RTOs, and an exemption for end-users (including utilities) that use over-the-counter derivates to hedge commodity risks. In addition, the "Volker Rule" requires the federal prudential regulators to issue rules restricting the ability of large financial institutions from engaging in proprietary trading. The prudential regulators, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have issued proposed rulemakings implementing Dodd-Frank. This session will discuss the impact of the proposed and final federal rules, including the CFTC rules, with a focus on the end-user exemption and the "Volker Rule" and the potential impact on utilities and ratepayers.

Moderator	Hon. Kenneth W. Anderson, Jr. - Commissioner - Texas PUC
Panelists	Hon. Scott O'Malia - Commissioner - CFTC Richard McMahon - Vice President of Finance and Energy Supply - EEI Nancy King - MD and Chief Risk Officer, Commodities Group - Morgan Stanley Jeff Kittrell - GM, Int'l Market & Commodity Risk - Anadarko Energy Services Mark Cooper - Consumer Federation of America

2:45 PM

Life on Main Street, Real Life Issues of Modern Grid Security
Joint session with Committees on Consumer Affairs and Critical Infrastructure
The panel will explore the topic of "street-level" issues with grid modernization/smart grid deployment efforts. As "smart grid" roll-outs or new technologies are being deployed, many jurisdictions are experiencing objections from individuals and groups regarding safety, information security, "Big Brother" concerns, and access to customer data. In some instances, parties have even filed court challenges alleging violations of their Constitutional rights to privacy, etc. What plans should we be making to address these issues and others that may come up along the road?

Moderator	Hon. Erin M. O'Connell- Diaz - Commissioner - Illinois CC
Panelists	Dr. Tom Reddoch - Senior Technical Executive - EPRI Patty Durand - Executive Director - Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative Lillie Coney - Associate Director - Electronic Privacy Information Center

4:15 PM

Green Jobs: Hope or Hype? (Grand South)
Joint session with Committees on Gas and Energy Resources and the Environment
See agenda as listed for the Committee on Gas

10:45 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Congressional/Renaissance East/Grand So.

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10:45 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Gas

Congressional Ballroom-Grand So.

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10:45 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Hon. Timothy Alan Simon - Commissioner - California PUC, Chair - Gas Committee
Hon. Matt Baker - Commissioner - Colorado PUC, Co-Vice Chair - Gas Committee
Hon. Barry T. Smitherman - Commissioner - Texas Railroad Commission, Co-Vice Chair- Gas Committee

10:50 AM

Hydraulic Fracturing: Is this a magic bullet for energy independence?
Joint session with the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment
A discussion on shale gas potential and environmental and technical issues associated with natural gas development and how regulators should get involved.

Moderator	Hon. Barry T. Smitherman - Commissioner - Texas Railroad Commission
Panelists	Rep. Jim Keffer - Chair, Energy Resource Committee - TX House of Representatives Dr. Cal Cooper - Manager of Special Projects - Office of the CEO, Apache Corporation Matt Watson - Senior Energy Policy Manager - Environmental Defense Fund Mike Smith - Executive Director - Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission Doug Louis - Director, Conservation Division - Kansas Corporation Commission

1:15 PM

CFTC Issues
Joint session with Committees on Electricity and Consumer Affairs
See agenda as listed for the Committee on Electricity

2:45 PM

Gas Demand Response and Smart Technologies
The natural gas industry is actively pursuing a vision for natural gas in a smart energy future. In addition, companies are implementing demand response programs that can help reduce price volatility. Please join our experts as they discuss their experiences with natural gas demand response and smart technology and how these initiatives benefit customers.

Joint session with Committee on Critical Infrastructure

Moderator Hon. Terry M. Jarrett - Commissioner - Missouri PSC

Panelists James Marean - Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure Sector - Gas Technology Institute
Chuck Harder - Senior Director of Regulatory Policy and External Relations - CenterPoint
Michael Sache - Sr Dir, Government Affairs and General Counsel - OPower
Hon. Todd Snitchler - Chairman - Ohio PUC

4:00 PM

Networking Break

4:15 PM

Green Jobs: Hope or Hype? (Grand South)
Joint session with Committees on Electricity and Energy Resources and the Environment
As the United States economy continues to struggle, and as many policymakers and NARUC member States have adopted renewable energy portfolio procurements, the question of job creation and the green economy remain at issue. This panel promises to be a robust debate on the merits of the green economy and the current market challenges that States face.

Moderator	Hon. Timothy Alan Simon - Commissioner - California PUC
Panelists	Robert Bryce - Manhattan Institute Bracken Hendricks - Center for American Progress

10:45 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Telecommunications

Grand North

» Show/Hide Details

10:45 AM

Business Session

1:15 PM

Much Ado about Spectrum: Why Should State Commissioners Care about this Issue?
Much of the telecom world is focused on spectrum. Is it really the looming crisis some predict? As this is largely a federal matter, why should State commissions care? This panel will debate the policy and economic issues pertaining to Spectrum. Issues under discussion will include: What are the implications of a Spectrum shortage? What does all this mean to consumers and the Industry? What's happening on Capitol Hill? These issues surrounding Spectrum will be addressed by the panelists.

Moderator	Hon. Maureen Harris - Commissioner - New York PSC
Panelists	Charla Rath - VP Wireless Policy Development - Verizon Steve Sharkey - Director of Federal Regulatory - T-Mobile Jonathan Spalter - Chairman - Mobile Future Chris Guttman-McCabe - Asst. VP of Regulatory Affairs - CTIA Dinesh Gopalakrishnan - Senior Economist - MA Dept. of Telecommunications and Cable Charles Davidson - Director, ACLP - New York Law School

2:45 PM

What is My Data Cap? What Does that Mean?
This session will consider the circumstances surrounding tiered-pricing for broadband and other advanced communications services. New business models are being developed in response, at least in part, to consumer demand for more tailored data packages that more accurately reflect actual usage. Some consumers want "all you can eat" service packages, while others prefer more limited services at different price points. In addition, external market factors, like the looming spectrum crunch and finite bandwidth in the wireless arena, are promoting experimentation with how to deliver the content varying categories of consumers want while assuring a consistent user experience across networks. Panelists will discuss these new broadband pricing strategies, practices to ensure that consumers are able to keep track of their data usage, and the public policy issues that may be implicated in this arena, including whether the FCC should set some data usage standard and tracking methods.

Moderator	Hon. Orjiakor Isiogu - Commissioner - Michigan PSC
Panelists	August H. Ankum, Ph.D. - Senior Vice President - QSI Consulting, Inc. Robert Mayer - Vice President - Industry and State Affairs - USTelecom Association Daniel Brenner - Partner - Hogan Lovells US LLP Chris Hillabrant - VP/GM, Mid Atlantic Region - T-Mobile Sascha Meinrath - Director, Open Technology Initiative - New American Foundation

4:15 PM

Business Session

11:45 AM

1:15 PM

NARUC Committee Chair meeting (Invitees Only)

Meeting Room 3

11:45 AM

1:15 PM

NARUC Staff Committee Chair meeting (Invitees Only)

Meeting Room 4

11:45 AM

1:15 PM

NECPUC Luncheon (Invitees Only)

Meeting Room 5

11:45 AM

1:15 PM

OPSI Luncheon (invitees only)

Meeting Room 2

1:15 PM

4:15 PM

Committee on Consumer Affairs

Ballroom So.-Congressional

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2:30 PM

2:45 PM

Networking Break...sponsored in part by ELSTER

Ballroom Foyer

2:45 PM

4:00 PM

Committee & Staff Subcommittee on Critical Infrastructure

» Show/Hide Details

3:45 PM

4:00 PM

Networking Break...sponsored in part by ELSTER

Ballroom Foyer

5:15 PM

6:00 PM

MACRUC Regional Meeting (invitees only)

Meeting Room 4

5:15 PM

6:00 PM

MARC Regional Meeting (invitees only)

Meeting Room 2

5:15 PM

6:00 PM

WESTERN Regional Meeting (invitees only)

Meeting Room 3

5:15 PM

6:15 PM

SEARUC Regional Meeting (invitees only)

FireView Room

Tuesday, February 7

7:30 AM

9:00 AM

Networking Break...sponsored in part by OPOWER

Ballroom Foyer

7:30 AM

5:00 PM

On-Site Registration Open

Ballroom Foyer

8:00 AM

10:15 AM

General Session

Grand South-Central

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10:30 AM

5:15 PM

Committee & Staff Subcommittee on Water

Renaissance West A

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10:30 AM

Water Sense Program
A review of the activities and initiatives of the Water Sense Program

Veronica Blette - Water Sense

11:00 AM

New Customer Service System - First Road Test
A review of the improvements as well as the bumps in the road to better customer service from implementation of United Water's new Customer Service system.

Walton Hill - Senior Vice President, Regulatory - United Water

11:45 AM

Lunch (on your own)

1:00 PM

Water Committee Business Meeting
Water Committee Action on the Minutes from the Annual Meeting, Resolutions, Controversial and Interesting Topics for the Portland and Baltimore NARUC meetings, and other business.

1:30 PM

The Regulatory Model - What's Working ? What's Not?
A frank discussion of the success of various ratemaking practices and models given the economics of today with a goal of beginning to identify needed changes.

Lisa Sparrow - President and CEO - Utilities, Inc.

2:15 PM

Networking Break

2:30 PM

A New Card on the ROE Table
Determining the cost of equity is perhaps more important than ever given the economic conditions and infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. A new general consumption based asset pricing model for determining the cost of common equity in regulatory proceedings, recently published in the Journal of Regulatory Economics - The Predictive Risk Premium Model (PRPM), will be presented.

Frank J. Hanley - CRRA - AUS Consultants
Pauline M. Ahern - CRRA - AUS Consultants

3:15 PM

Water Research Foundation
An update on programs and activities of the Water Research Foundation

Robert C. Renner - Executive Director - Water Research Foundation

3:45 PM

Networking Break

4:00 PM

Twit or Tweet - Are You Linked-In?
A review of the latest uses of communication technology by water companies and industry organizations.

4:30 PM

Roundtable and Wrap-Up
Updates from NAWC, Michigan State, Rate School, the Sub-committee on Water, and other activities of interest to the Water Committee.

10:30 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Electricity

Grand Central

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10:30 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Renaissance East/Grand So.

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10:30 AM

Progress in Bulk Energy Storage
Energy storage is increasingly proving its capabilities for the utility industry as cost-effectiveness, cycly-life, and safety improves. Following the implementation of small-scale demonstration projects, markets are gradually taking shape. This panel will discuss multi-megawatt applications of a variety of energy storage technologies. Major recent storage facilities in Hawaii, West Virginia, Texas, California, and New York will be presented, along with projects being constructed under the ARRA program. As major players begin deploying increasingly larger storage projects, regional entities are recognizing the value of these technologies for ancillary services. In the near future we can expect large-scale storage projects to help make renewable resources more dispatchable, help with peak load managment, and compete with power plants and conventional transmission and distribution upgrades.

Moderator	Hon. Jeanne Fox - Commissioner - NJ Board of Public Utilities
Panelists	Imre Gyuk - Program Manager Energy Storage Research - U.S. DOE Chris Shelton - President - AES Storage Carlos Coe - Chief Executive Officer - Xtreme Power Solution

1:00 PM

Less is More: SEE Action and the Power of Efficiency (This session will be held in Grand Central)

The State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEE Action) is the successor to the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. Committees included in this meeting include: Consumer Affairs, Electricity, Energy Resources and the Environment.

The session will broadly detail SEE Action resources for NARUC members and provide perspectives on energy efficiency from key senior industry and government leaders. The panel will explore the critical issues State, local and federal government officials have taken toward establishing and measuring energy efficiency savings, the drivers of these actions, and how they have worked across government lines. The panel will also detail how SEE Action can assess policy options on energy efficiency, such as: regulatory considerations, motivating utilities, managing consumer concerns, allowing EE to compete with supply side resources, and much more.

Moderator Hon. Phyllis Reha - Commissioner - Minnesota PUC

Panelists Kathleen Hogan - Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency - U.S. DOE
Mark Sylvia - Commissioner - MA Department of Energy Resources
Gene Rodrigues - Dir., Customer Energy Efficiency & Solar - SCE
Will Wynn - Former Mayor and Chairman - City of Austin and Austin Energy

2:30 PM

NARUC/FERC: Forum on Reliability and the Environment
Joint session. See Agenda as listed for NARUC/FERC: Forum on Reliability and the Environment under Special Meetings.

10:30 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Gas

Congressional Ballroom

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10:30 AM

5:15 PM

Committee on Telecommunications

Grand North

» Show/Hide Details

10:30 AM

USF/ICC Reform - Bill and Keep
As the FCC seeks to move to a "bill and keep" system for intercarrier compensation, there are many implications for States and Carriers or all kinds. The purpose of the panel is to delve into this issue of bill and keep and get various perspectives on:

1. Whether bill and keep should be the final stage of intercarrier compensation?
2. How to implement such a system as ordered by the FCC - State vs. federal role?

Moderator Hon. Catherine Sandoval - Commissioner - California PUC

Panelists Jennifer McKee - VP and Associate General Counsel - NCTA
Hon. James H. Cawley - Commissioner - Pennsylvania PUC
Jonathan Banks - Senior VP for Law & Policy - US Telecom
Joshua Seidemann - Director of Policy - NTCA
Joseph Gillan - Gillan Associates

1:00 PM

Contribution Conundrum
On the eve of the broadband world, how do we deal with the realistic possibility that ubiquitous broadband may not be achieveable at the 4.6 billion dollar level? Should we develop a methodology to expand the contribution base, and if we should, how do we expand it in an equitable manner?

Moderator	Hon. John Burke - Commissioner - Vermont Public Service Board
Panelists	Rick Cimerman - VP External & State Affairs - NCTA Carol Mattey - Deputy Bureau Chief - FCC Joel Lubin - VP - Public Policy - AT&T Dave Conn - National Director - State Regulatory Affairs - T-Mobile Mike Balhoff - Managing Partner - Balhoff & Williams Shirley Bloomfield - CEO - NTCA

2:30 PM

On The Hill But On the Level
Staff discuss likely congressional topics and concerns.

Moderator	Hon. Phil Jones - Commissioner - Washington UTC
Panelists	Ray Baum - Sr Policy Advisor, Chair Walden - House Communications Subcommittee Shawn Chang - Senior Democratic Counsel - House Commerce Ranking Member Waxman John Branscome - Communications Counsel - Senate Commerce Committee Chair Rockefeller David Quinalty - Republican Sr. Staff - Senate Commerce Ranking Member Hutchison

3:45 PM

Networking Break

4:00 PM

Hail to the Chiefs
This panel features updates from and conversations with the hard-working and well respected FCC Bureau Chiefs designed to gain insight about the challenging year each are facing on a range of issues. It will provide a welcome opportunity for NARUC members to gain insight about the crucial work of those charged with implementing the policies sanctioned by our FCC colleagues, to discover possible opportunities for cooperation, to identify open proceedings where State input might be useful, and to ask about potential impacts of specific initiatives on State operations.

Moderator	Hon. Phil Montgomery - Chairman - Wisconsin PSC
Panelists	Sharon Gillett - Chief - Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC Rick Kaplan - Chief - Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC Joel Gurin - Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau - FCC David Furth - Deputy Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau - FCC Chris Killion - Associate Bureau Chief, Enforcement Bureau - FCC

10:45 AM

11:00 AM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Commissioners Emeritus Luncheon

Penn Quarter-Off Lobby

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Commissioner's Luncheon (Commissioner's Only)...sponsored in part by ITRON

Renaissance West B

1:00 PM

2:15 PM

Committee on Consumer Affairs

Grand Central

» Show/Hide Details

2:15 PM

2:30 PM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

2:30 PM

5:15 PM

NARUC/FERC: Forum on Reliability and the Environment

Grand South

» Show/Hide Details

3:45 PM

4:00 PM

Networking Break...sponsored in part by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Ballroom Foyer

Wednesday, February 8

7:30 AM

9:00 AM

Networking Break...sponsored in part by SEIA

Ballroom Foyer

7:30 AM

5:00 PM

On-Site Registration Open

Ballroom Foyer

8:00 AM

12:30 PM

Committee on Consumer Affairs
Joint Session with the National Electricity Forum
See Agenda as listed for the the National Electricity Forum

Ballroom South-Central

8:00 AM

12:30 PM

Committee on Electricity
Joint Session with the National Electricity Forum
See Agenda as listed for the the National Electricity Forum

Ballroom South-Central

8:00 AM

12:30 PM

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment
Joint Session with the National Electricity Forum
See Agenda as listed for the the National Electricity Forum

Ballroom South-Central

8:00 AM

12:30 PM

Committee on Gas
Joint Session with the National Electricity Forum
See Agenda as listed for the the National Electricity Forum

Ballroom South-Central

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

National Electricity Forum

Ballroom South-Central

» Show/Hide Details

9:00 AM

11:45 AM

Committee on Telecommunications

Ballroom North

» Show/Hide Details

9:00 AM

Is 'Deregulation' a Dirty Word? Assessing Recent State Telecommunications Reform Efforts
Over the last several years, about 20 States have adopted comprehensive legislation aimed at changing regulatory frameworks to reflect a more dynamic communications marketplace. In 2011 alone, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin all contemplated wide ranging reform bills that sought to, among other things, level the playing field among voice service providers by removing or substantially revising outdated rules. Several additional States are expected to debate the merits of similar bills in 2012. Panelists will discuss the many regulatory reform efforts across the country, including the impacts that these new laws have had (or are likely to have) on markets, consumers, and regulators. Panelists will also be asked to identify best practices for telecom reform, including policies that have yielded positive consumer welfare gains.

Moderator	Hon. Betsy Wergin - Commissioner - Minnesota PUC
Panelists	Hon. Ronald Brise - Commissioner - Florida PSC Hon. Blair Thoreson - State Representative - ND House of Representatives Dan Lipschultz - Partner - Moss & Barnett John Stephenson - Dir, Communications & Technology Task Force - ALEC Ramona Carlow - VP - Public Policy - AT&T

10:30 AM

Regulatory Federalism in the 21st Century: What is the Role of the States Going Forward?

A companion discussion to the panel on State-level telecommunications deregulation, this panel will debate the proper balance of regulatory federalism in the communications space going forward. In a world increasingly dominated by IP-enabled communications, what role can/should state PUCs play? Where does a national regime make sense? Where are State rules more appropriate? Panelists will discuss the merits of recalibrating regulatory federalism in light of disruptive innovation throughout the broadband ecosystem.

Moderator Hon. Ward Loyd - Commissioner - Kansas CC

Panelists Peter Bluhm - Rolka Loube Saltzer Associates
Michael Santorelli - Director - Advanced Communications Law & Policy Institute New York Law School
Tillman Lay - Partner - Spiegel & McDiarmid

9:45 AM

10:30 AM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

11:45 AM

4:00 PM

Board of Directors Meeting

Congressional Ballroom

5:45 PM

7:00 PM

National Electricity Forum: Wine and Cheese Reception

Ballroom North

Thursday, February 9

7:30 AM

8:30 AM

Networking Break

Ballroom Foyer

8:15 AM

3:00 PM

National Electricity Forum
The agenda for the National Electricity Forum can be found here

Congressional Ballroom-Grand