Orrie has successfully advocated for regulatory approvals at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSCW) and FERC, including over 2000 MWs of Solar, Wind, and Storage projects in Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), Certificate of Authority (CA) and Buy/Sell Proceedings (BS), and defends those approvals in state court. Orrie has successfully driven tariff changes in rate proceedings and has secured various regulatory oversight approvals of transactions from regulators under the Federal Power Act (FPA) Section 203, the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), the Wisconsin Public Utilities Holding company Act (WUHCA) and other regulatory schemes. More recently, Orrie has advised clients on tariff design and implementation for large loads like data centers at both the state and regional transmission provider (RTO) level. Clients appreciate Orrie’s robust understanding of energy permitting schemes, and his ability to recommend and defend client actions from local, state, and federal opposition.
Orrie also provides clients with a strong knowledge of FERC procedure. He regularly engages with the stakeholder processes at Independent System Operators like the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) like Southwest Power Pool (SPP). He helps stakeholders prepare, negotiate and comment on FERC filings, including assisting in filing Complaints and appealing FERC Orders in Federal Court.
In the International Trade world, Orrie helps business analyze their internal compliance controls and optimize their import/export systems. He helps companies determine the impact of tariffs and assists with country of origin (COO) determinations, HTS Classification, transaction valuation, OFAC determinations, to name a few. Orrie works closely with the Michael Best Strategies lobbying team to help corporations find relief to specific tariff problems as well as general international trade issues. He built this experience in-house at a large manufacturing company during the first wave of tariffs as early as 2018.
Clients also appreciate Orrie’s experience in alternative fuels. Orrie began his career in energy as a process intern at a renewable natural gas (RNG) digestor and continued to work as an operator of a 30 MMGY Biodiesel facility and a 11 MMGY Glycerin production facility. He brings a hands-on approach to transactions and disputes in the renewable fuels world, including an understanding of various alternative fuel incentives like RECs, RINs, the LCFS, and other worldwide standards.
A longtime community advocate, Orrie has also defended pro bono clients from wrongful evictions, employment discrimination, and unlawful harassment at administrative, circuit, and appeals courts.