Sidney L. Fowler

Following law school, Sid joined the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), where he advised agency staff on regulatory issues and rulemaking such as nuclear facility license amendments, plant physical and cybersecurity, spent fuel storage and nuclear waste disposal. His pre-law career includes time as a sourcing specialist for one of the nation’s largest utilities. In this role, he led sourcing and negotiations and drafted complex contracts, including engineering, equipment procurement, operations and maintenance, and construction contracts, which supported the utility’s nuclear plant fleet.

Sid’s private practice experience includes assisting with litigation and rate proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for both electric and natural gas utilities under the Federal Power Act, as well as for petroleum shippers under the Interstate Commerce Act. Sid has also advised organizations on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) responsibilities associated with the energy sector.

• Advised a leading international OEM company on the development and licensing of a U.S. interim spent fuel storage facility.
• Advised an innovative British company on complex regulatory compliance in conjunction with the development of an advanced nuclear reactor spanning multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S., Italy and France.
• Advised an international commodity trading and marketing company on general regulatory advice for construction of a plastic waste recycling business.
• Advised a U.S. utility in responding to cybersecurity allegation.
• Represented a U.S. utility and individuals in matters before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding NRC regulations and procedures.
• Represented a large European nuclear company in its process to acquire a large >$1 billion nuclear reactor vendor.
• Advised a U.S. sustainable energy producer on the project development for solar-plus-storage addition at a Midwest 105 MW utility-scale renewable hybrid project.
• While at the NRC, successfully defended challenges to the NRC’s security clearance determinations before the Department of Energy.
• Advises on a wide array of matters related to nuclear plant physical and cybersecurity, spent fuel storage, and license amendments resulting from plant modifications.
• Develops and negotiates contracts, ensuring compliance with all applicable Federal Acquisition Regulations.

• Publications
  • “Getting Lithium for Batteries from Geothermal Brine to Where It’s Needed,” Authors: Robert A. James, Sid Fowler, Clarence H. Tolliver, November 1, 2024
  • "Promoting Fusion Development Through Financial Policies: An Examination of How Clean Energy Investment Policies Can Better Incentivize Fusion Investment and Support Development and Deployment of Fusion Technology,” Authors: Jeffrey S. Merrifield & Sid Fowler, 16 June 2023
  • “Corporate Plastic Footprints: A Growing ESG and Sustainable Finance Focus,” Authors: Christopher J. McNevin, Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Sidney L. Fowler, Victoria Judd, September 14, 2021
  • “Civil Nuclear Credit Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill,” Authors: Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Elina Teplinsky, Jeffrey S. Merrifield, Meghan Claire Hammond, Sidney L. Fowler, Jorge Medina, September 2, 2021
  • “DOE Requests Comments on the Price-Anderson Act,” Authors: William E. Fork, Sidney L. Fowler, August 11, 2021
  • “The “Everywhere Chemical”—Might Phthalates Become the Next PFAS?,” Authors: Reza Zarghamee, Sidney L. Fowler, Emily Huang, Anne Idsal Austin, June 15, 2021
  • “NRC Seeking Input to Update NEPA Process for Categorical Exclusions,” Authors: Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Reza Zarghamee, Jeffrey S. Merrifield, Sidney L. Fowler, May 21, 2021
  • “EPA Proposes Rule to Implement AIM Act’s HFC Phasedown,” Authors: Christopher J. McNevin, Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Matthew W. Morrison, Sidney L. Fowler, Shelby L. Dyl, Emily Huang, May 11, 2021
  • “Navigating the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act’s Comprehensive HFC Phasedown,” Authors: Christopher J. McNevin, Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Matthew W. Morrison, Sidney L. Fowler, Shelby L. Dyl, Emily Huang, April 2, 2021
  • “Federal Support for Defense Uses of Advanced Nuclear,” Authors: Nancy A. Fischer, Elina Teplinsky, Benjamin J. Cote, Aaron R. Hutman, Jeffrey S. Merrifield, Sidney L. Fowler, February 3, 2021
  • “Biden’s Climate Blitz,” Authors: Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Elizabeth Vella Moeller, Meghan Claire Hammond, Sidney L. Fowler, January 29, 2021
  • “Considerations for Regulation of Fusion-Based Power Generation Devices,” Authors: David R. Lewis, Jeffrey S. Merrifield, Sidney L. Fowler, December 3, 2020
  • “DOE Announces Its Hydrogen Plan,” Authors: Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Elina Teplinsky, Sidney L. Fowler, Mona E. Dajani, November 19, 2020
  • “Legislators, Companies and Consumers Turn Their Attention Toward Plastics,” Authors: Christopher J. McNevin, Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Jeffrey S. Merrifield, Sidney L. Fowler, August 28, 2020
  • “Department of Energy Moves Forward on its New Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program,” Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Jeffrey S. Merrifield, Sidney L. Fowler, February 6, 2020
  • “DOE Proposes Procedures for the Imposition of Civil Penalties for Violations of Part 810,” Pratt’s Energy Law Report, Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Anne Leidich, and Sidney Fowler, January 2020, Vol. 20 No.1.
  • “DOE Proposes Procedures for the Imposition of Civil Penalties for Violations of Part 810,” Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Anne Leidich, Sidney L. Fowler, October 7, 2019
• Blog Posts
  • “Do Municipal Gas Bans Slow the Clean Hydrogen Transition in Real Estate?” Pillsbury’s Gravel2Gavel, May 18, 2022
  • “Tension Over Municipal Gas Bans Creates Uncertainty for Real Estate Developers,” Pillsbury’s Gravel2Gavel, January 18, 2022
  • “Hydrogen Powers Its Way from Proof of Concept to Reality in Real Estate,” Pillsbury’s Gravel2Gavel, April 13, 2021
• Speaking Engagements
  • “Coverage to Launch: Updating Nuclear Liability Laws to Empower Development of Space Technologies,” Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (2022)
  • “Green Finance in the Hydrogen Sector with Victoria Judd,” A Video Series of Key Issues Driving Green Hydrogen (2022)
  • “Why Hydrogen and Why Now with Sheila Harvey,” A Video Series of Key Issues Driving Green Hydrogen (2022)
  • “Key Environmental Issues Facing the Hydrogen Sector with Matthew Morrison,” A Video Series of Key Issues Driving Green Hydrogen (2022)
  • “Economics of Hydrogen Production with Elina Teplinsky,” A Video Series of Key Issues Driving Green Hydrogen (2022)