Since Richard Glick was appointed chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) there have been serious moves made to address FERC’s role as a rubber stamping agency for the fossil fuel industry. At this moment, those within FERC are seeking counsel as to what must change. At the same time, Beyond Extreme Energy (BXE) has seen growing interest from members of Congress in dismantling FERC and replacing it with the Federal Renewable Energy Commission as part of the Green New Deal.

Forces from below, from above, and from within are looking at what a new kind of energy regulatory agency would look like. An agency rooted in the issues of the 21st Century, environmental justice, and given a climate mandate to transition to renewable energy. At this critical juncture we are inviting frontline organizers, activist groups, and legislators to the FERC Into FREC Summit! The Summit will be held via Zoom on April 10th from 1-5PM EDT.

The goal of this summit is to deepen our vision for how a Federal Renewable Energy Commission would function. We have many critiques of FERC, and many dreams of a green future. But what are the policies and mechanisms that make it a reality? How do we decarbonize and sunset fossil fuels? How do we create new forms of community control and democratic involvement?

To get us there we will examine BXE’s current visions of FREC, proposals from Congress, and what frontline groups envision. We will split into breakout groups to tackle issue by issue the workings of a new Federal Renewable Energy Commission.