United States

The year 1991 will be one of change in the energy policy and energy legal structure of the US. Fundamental reconsideration of many aspects of energy law and policy, with a new recognition of the importance of environmental issues, awareness of the volatility in the price of petroleum and petroleum products due to world politics, and a deep dissatisfaction with the pace and results of efforts to modernize the energy regulatory structure will help fuel this change. The most significant changes will probably occur in the natural gas and electric power industries. The Department of Energy has been developing a national energy strategy that will be focused on the unleashing of competitive market forces and lessening of reliance on Persian Gulf-supplied oil. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is an important player on the energy legal scene and has a profound influence on energy policy.