Susan Olenchuk represents clients on regulatory, safety, enforcement, and policy issues under the Pipeline Safety Laws, as well as under the Natural Gas Act (NGA), and the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA). She practices before the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and federal courts.
Susan’s PHMSA practice covers compliance and strategic counseling, enforcement, litigation, audit preparation, and policy guidance. She represents operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, distribution systems, and LNG facilities.
In her FERC practice, Susan counsels on rate, tariff, certificate, and rulemaking proceedings; advises on compliance issues arising under FERC’s affiliate Standards of Conduct and undue preference requirements; and provides guidance on jurisdiction and other issues arising under Section 311 of the NGPA.
Latest Legal and Business Bylines From Susan A. Olenchuk
- Pipeline Safety Update - August 24, 2017 - (Posted On Thursday, August 24, 2017)
- Delaware Chancery Court Ruling on Post-Spill Access to Records Highlights Importance of Corporate Safety Culture - (Posted On Tuesday, August 15, 2017)
- PHMSA Deputy Administrator; Rulemakings Update; Pipeline Safety Update- August 7, 2017 - (Posted On Tuesday, August 08, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update - July 19, 2019: PHMSA Extends Deadline for Submitting 2016 Annual Reports for Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities; PHMSA Requests Proposals for Pipeline Safety R&D Program Research Awards - (Posted On Wednesday, July 19, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update - June 22, 2017: PHMSA Partially Stays Enforcement of New Safety Standards for Underground Natural Gas Storage; DOT Seeks Input on Impediments to Transportation Infrastructure Projects - (Posted On Thursday, June 22, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update -May 25, 2017: President’s Proposed FY 2018 Budget Would Reduce PHMSA Funding; PHMSA Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee Meets June 6-7; PHMSA Rulemakings Update Is Unchanged - (Posted On Thursday, May 25, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update: May 2017- PHMSA Announces Increased Maximum Federal Civil Penalties; FY 2017 Spending Bill Increases PHMSA Funding; PHMSA posts FAQs about underground natural gas storage regulations - (Posted On Friday, May 05, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update: April 12, 2017- PHMSA Announces User Fee Rate Structure for Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities; PHMSA Issues Advisory Bulletin Regarding Deactivation of Threats Under Gas Transmission IM Programs - (Posted On Wednesday, April 12, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update: February 2017 - Elaine Chao Confirmed as Secretary of Transportation; Mike Mulvaney Confirmed as OMB Director; PHMSA Withdraws from Federal Register Final Rule Amending Safety Regulations for Hazardous Liquid Pipelines - (Posted On Wednesday, February 22, 2017)
- Pipeline Safety Update: Special Edition- January 23,2017 - (Posted On Monday, January 23, 2017)
Susan A. Olenchuk is a partner with Van Ness Feldman who was honored as an National Law Review Go-To Thought Leader for her important and timely updates and information on Energy Law, with ane emphasis on Pipeline Safety. Her work covers the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and other organizations regulating Pipelines for the Oil and Gas industry. Her weekly update on Pipeline Safety is a go-to resource for National Law Review readers interested in pipeline and other energy or oil & gas regulation.
Van Ness Feldman’s Natural Gas & Oil Pipelines Practice Group is recognized by the National Law Review as a Go-To Thought Leader for the group’s analysis of environmental legislation and public policy including developments from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and it’s Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC) , the Department of Transportation (DOT), OSHA’s process safety management (PSM) regulatory group and the Pipeline Association for Public Awareness. Van Ness Feldman’s involvement in two of the largest natural gas pipeline projects ever constructed in North America provides a unique insight related to regulatory matters and litigation impacting environmental interest holders, refiners, offshore exploration groups and production companies, offshore drilling companies, and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) terminal developers. The following Van Ness Feldman attorney authors are the most frequent contributors on pipeline safety news: Marco Bracamonte, Jacob I. Cunningham, Michael Diamond, Bryn S. Karaus, Susan A. Olenchuk and Michael R. Pincus.