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SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION v. FERC

No. 20-72788, No. 20-73375, No. 21-70083, No. 21-70113.

80 F.4th 956 (2023)

SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION, Petitioner, NewSun Energy LLC; One Energy Enterprises LLC, Petitioners-Intervenors, v. FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, Respondent, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association [NRECA]; American Public Power Association; Large Public Power Council; Edison Electric Institute Inc., Respondents-Intervenors, American Forest & Paper Association, Intervenor. Montana Environmental Information Center; Sierra Club; Center for Biological Diversity; Vote Solar; Community Renewable Energy Association; Appalachian Voices; Alabama Center for Sustainable Energy, d/b/a Energy Alabama; Georgia Interfaith Power & Light Inc.; North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association; Upstate Forever, Petitioners, One Energy Enterprises LLC, Petitioner-Intervenor, v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Respondent, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association [NRECA]; Edison Electric Institute Inc.; American Public Power Association; Edison Electric Institute Inc.; Large Public Power Council, Respondents-Intervenors, American Forest & Paper Association, Intervenor. Montana Environmental Information Center; Sierra Club; Center for Biological Diversity; Vote Solar; Community Renewable Energy Association; Appalachian Voices; Alabama Center for Sustainable Energy, d/b/a Energy Alabama; Georgia Interfaith Power & Light Inc.; North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association; Upstate Forever, Petitioners, One Energy Enterprises LLC, Petitioner-Intervenor, v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Respondent, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association [NRECA]; American Public Power Association; Edison Electric Institute Inc.; Large Public Power Council, Respondents-Intervenors. Solar Energy Industries Association, Petitioner, One Energy Enterprises LLC, Petitioner-Intervenor, v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Respondent, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association [NRECA]; American Public Power Association; Edison Electric Institute Inc.; Large Public Power Council, Respondents-Intervenors.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Filed September 5, 2023.

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Fred A. Rowley, Jr (argued), Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Los Angeles, California; John B. Kenney , Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC, Washington, D.C.; Heather Curlee and Todd G. Glass , Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC, Seattle, Washington; for Petitioner Solar Energy Industries Association.

David C. Bender (argued), Earthjustice, Washington, D.C for Petitioners Montana Environmental Information Center, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and Vote Solar.

Matthew W.S. Estes (argued), Senior Attorney; Susanna Y. Chu , Attorney; Joshua A. Kirstein , Attorney Advisor; Robert H. Solomon , Solicitor; Matthew Christiansen , General Counsel; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.; for Respondent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Jeremy C. Marwell (argued), Margaret E. Peloso , and James T. Dawson , Vinson & Elkins LLP, Washington, D.C.; Emily S. Fisher and Adam Benshoff , Edison Electric Institute, Washington, D.C.; for Respondents-Intervenor Edison Electric Institute.

Gregory M. Adams and Peter J. Richardson , Richardson Adams PLLC, Boise, Idaho, for Petitioner Community and Renewable Energy Association.

Lauren J. Bowen , Nicholas Jimenez , and Jillian Kysor , Southern Environmental Law Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for Petitioners Appalachian Voices, Alabama Center for Sustainable Energy, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, and Upstate Forever.

Marie P. Barlow and Max Yoklic , NewSun Energy LLC, Bend, Oregon, for Petitioner-Intervenor NewSun Energy LLC.

Elizabeth W. Whittle , Nixon Peabody LLP, Washington, D.C., for Petitioner-Intervenor One Energy Enterprises LLC.

Randolph L. Elliot , McCarter & English LLP, Washington, D.C., for Respondent-Intervenor, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

John E. McCaffrey III , Stinson LLP, Washington, D.C., for Respondent-Intervenor American Public Power Association.

Jonathan D. Schneider , Harvey Reiter , and Marie D. Zosa , Stinson LLP, Washington, D.C., for Respondent-Intervenor Large Public Power Counsel.

Robert A. Weishaar Jr. , McNees Wallace & Nurick, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for Intervenor (def/res)-Intervenor American Forest & Paper Association.

Sarah N. Norcott , NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy, Helena, Montana, for Amicus Curiae NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy.

Andrew R. Varcoe and Stephanie A. Maloney , U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, Washington, D.C.; Elbert Lin , Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Richmond, Virginia; for Amicus Curiae Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America.

Partial Concurrence and Partial Dissent by Judge Bumatay.

OPINION

This case involves rules adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to implement the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), Pub. L. No. 95-617, 92 Stat. 3117. Congress enacted PURPA to encourage the development of a new class of independent, non-utility-owned energy producers known...

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