DOE Inspector General Releases Special Report On FERC Enforcement Practices

On September 29, 2015, the Office of the Inspector General ("OIG") of the Department of Energy issued a special report describing the results of its audit of FERC's Office of Enforcement ("OE"). Based on its review, the OIG determined that "nothing came to our attention to indicate that OE had not performed enforcement activities in accordance with relevant policies and procedures."

According to the special report, the OIG initiated the inquiry into OE's enforcement practices in response to requests by several members of the U.S. Senate (see July 21, 2014 edition of the WER). In doing so, the OIG reviewed OE's policy statements and procedures, closed investigations, and hotline and self-report cases. The OIG also interviewed OE officials and FERC Commissioners. Specifically, the OIG found that: (i) OE had policies and procedures that required oversight and approval at various stages of an investigation; (ii) regulatory provisions and OE-specific policies and