First memo assignment

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First memo assignment TODAY Business plans for
influencing legislative choices Tues Statutory
interpretation exercise Afterward Agency
policymaking
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• Problem 1, 1992 Electric Deregulation
  Congress considering legislation to amend the
  Federal Power Act to make it clear that the Act
  authorizes wholesale sales of electric power at
  market (i.e. negotiated) rates, so long as those
  rates are just and reasonable. How does
  Dynegy, owner of 34 power plants in 21 western
  states support this legislation?
• Problem 2, 1999 Mountaintop Mining Congress
  is considering legislation to amend the Clean
  Water Act, which prohibits discharges of
  pollutants to waterways without a permit, to make
  it clear that so-called coal mining operations
  that place excavated dirt/rock into nearby
  streams do not need a Clean Water Act permit.
  How does National Coal, which practices
  mountaintop mining in 5 midwestern states,
  support this legislation?

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Detection ? what policy changes are
imminent Evaluation ? should we try to influence
new policy choices?
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• Detection ? what policy changes are imminent
• Evaluation ? should we try to influence new
  policy choices?
• How do influence policy choice ? Our Plan
• Direct strategies

Information Resources Pressure
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• Detection ? what policy changes are imminent
• Evaluation ? should we try to influence new
  policy choices?
• Plan
• Direct strategies
• Indirect strategies

Information Resources Money Pressure
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• Money and Legislators
• Can companies donate money to Congressional
  candidates?
• Can they contribute to political campaigns in any
  way?
• Can company officers contribute to candidates?
  Employees?
• 527s 60 day rule
• What about other jurisdictions where payments to
  legislators are not regulated?

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• Detection ? what policy changes are imminent
• Evaluation ? should we try to influence new
  policy choices?
• Plan
• Direct strategies
• Indirect strategies
• Alliances / surrogates
• Public strategies

Information Resources Money Pressure
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• Interest Group Politics
• Do legislators respond to organized interest
  group pressure? General public opinion?
• What interests tend to be represented by
  organized groups?
• What makes interest group lobbying more or less
  effective?

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• Detection ? what policy changes are imminent
• Evaluation ? should we try to influence new
  policy choices?
• Plan
• Direct strategies
• Indirect strategies
• Alliances / surrogates
• Public strategies

Information Resources Money Pressure
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Information Resources Money Pressure
Mountaintop Mining
National Mining Co. UMWA Employees Local
government AMC/NMA State government officials
Members of Environment Committees
(Ministries) Members from WV, KY, OH, IN,
IL Remainder of legislature
Voting Public
What counterpressures will NMC encounter?
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Information Resources Money Pressure
Electric Deregulation
Dynegy Union? Employees? State/Local
government?
Members of Energy Committees (Ministries) Members
from western states Remainder of legislature
Industrial consumers Other big consumers
Voting Public?
What counterpressures will NMC encounter?
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• Influencing State Legislators
• In what ways, if any, might Dynegy and National
  Coal approach these issues differently if the
  policy decision rested with the state
  legislature?

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• Statutory Interpretation Exercise
• Read it carefully before class
• Electricity deregulation
• Panel assignments (may change, based upon
  absences)
• Process