The Department of Justice is the primary federal agency charged to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law. The Department of Justice shares antitrust enforcement responsibilities with the Federal Trade Commission.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was established by the Communications Act of 1934 as an independent United States government agency directly responsible to Congress. The Act, which has been amended over the years, charges the Commission with establishing policies to govern interstate and international communications by television, radio, wire, satellite and cable. In February 1996, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was signed into law, representing the first major overhaul of our nation’s telecommunications policies in over 60 years.

Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service website. Robust site, lots of online forms and answers. Not nearly as stressful as an audit.

The numbers dudes at Department of Energy. Official energy statistics of the U.S. Government. Online statistics and searchable databases.

The Federal Trade Commission enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws. Shares antitrust enforcement authority with the Department of Justice.

The online searchable legislative database for the United States Congress.

The official website of the United States Senate. Links to committees, calendars, hearings.

The official website of the United States House of Representatuves. Links to committees, calendars, hearings.

Market Watch

NYMEX is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange, and the preeminent trading forum for energy, and precious metals, in North America. Online energy trading prices (quotes are delayed).

CNN financial network commodity trading prices and related news.

Petroleum and natural gas price tracking in New Mexico. Searchable databases of wells drilled and production histories for selected areas.

Energy price data and forecasts from DOE's Energy Information Agency.

Lots of information on futures trading, activity and analysis.

Crutchfield Energy Data. Complimentary monthly reports on Texas crude and condensate.

PricewaterhouseCoopers next day power indexes.

Energy News Data western price survey and commentary.

Trade Associations

Industrial Energy Users-Ohio (IEU-Ohio) is an association of large Ohio industrial energy consumers that spend collectively over $2 billion per year to obtain electricity and natural gas and employ over 200,000 people in Ohio. IEU-OH's members work together to address matters which affect the availability and price of energy and related services.

ELCON, founded in 1976, is an association of large industrial consumers of electricity. ELCON members have facilities in most of the fifty states and in many foreign countries. These companies come from virtually every manufacturing industry. ELCON member companies consume nearly six percent of all the electricity used in the United States.

The Process Gas Consumers Group (PGC) is a national trade association of industrial gas consumers who require natural gas in many of their key operations. For 20 years, PGC has worked to promote coordinated, rational, and consistent federal and state policies relating to natural gas and its transportation.

Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies, international affiliates and industry associates worldwide. EEI U.S. members serve over 90 percent of all customers served by the shareholder-owned segment of the industry.

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is a leader in creating science and technology solutions for the energy industry. EPRI's technical program spans virtually every aspect of power generation, delivery, and use, including environmental considerations.

NERC was formed in 1968 to address electricity reliability concerns as a result of the November 9, 1965, Northeast Blackout. NERC's website includes links to regional reliability councils, online databases, and tools to track transmission line loading.

The Gas Industry Standards Board serves as an industry forum for the development and promotion of standards which will lead to a seamless marketplace for natural gas, as recognized by its customers, business community, participants, and regulatory entities.

Utilities

The Utility Connection provides links to 4,032 electric, gas, water and wastewater utilities, utility associations, organizations, news, magazines, utility financial resources, and related state & federal regulatory and information sites.

TSIN.COM maintains links to all OASIS Nodes and provides for the registration of Transmission Providers and Transmission Customers as required by FERC.

Comprehensive links to utilities nationwide.

Energy News

CNN Financial News tracking stories related to the energy industry.

Utility related news. Sources include corporate press releases, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, CBS.

State Governments

State PUC's

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1889. Within its membership are the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Specifically, NARUC's member agencies regulate the activities of telecommunications, energy, and water utilities.

NARUC's links to state PUC websites

Links to all state public utility commission websites!

Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO)

The non-profit Midwest ISO is an Independent Transmission System Operator that serves the electrical transmission needs of much of the Midwest.

The PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. ("PJM") is responsible for the operation and control of the bulk electric power system throughout major portions of five Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia.

The New York ISO operates the transmission system in New York.

ISO New England Inc. assumed the responsibility for managing New England region's electric bulk power generation and transmission systems and administering the region's open access transmission tariff in 1997.

Operates California's transmission grid.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) is the corporation that administers the state's power grid. ERCOT serves approximately 85 percent of the state's electric load and oversees the operation of approximately 70,000 megawatts of generation and over 37,000 miles of transmission lines.

Texas is restructuring its $16 Billion electricity industry. As of January 1, 2002, both individuals and corporations in most cities in Texas are now able to choose their power supplier. ERCOT oversees the transactions that result from the restructuring, while maintaining the overall reliability of the electrical grid.

Ontario's electricity industry is now open for competition. The Independent Electricity Market Operator (IMO) is the hub of the electricity wholesale marketplace, connecting all participants - from the generators and suppliers who sell electricity to the wholesale consumers and distributors who purchase electricity and sell it to consumers.