Enforcement of Statutes, Orders, Rules, and Regulations

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission revises its process for resolving by settlement investigations pursuant to the Commission's regulations. Pursuant to this policy statement, the Commission grants the Director of Enforcement the discretion to authorize Office of Enforcement staff to engage in settlement negotiations without first seeking settlement authority from the Commission. When Office of Enforcement staff receives a viable offer of settlement from the subject of an investigation, it will present that offer to the Commission for voting, as is the case now. While the new process grants Office of Enforcement staff new discretion to commence settlement negotiations, it does not change the fact that it is the Commission that ultimately determines whether any proposed settlement of an investigation is in the public interest.