Opinion ID: 1189865
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Federal Preemption of the California Public Utility Commission Review

Text: In a final substantive challenge, Sawyer contends that the condemnation is unlawful because WAPA did not obtain the approval of the California Public Utility Commission for the Path 15 Upgrade as required by California law. See Cal. Pub. Util.Code §§ 1001-06. We agree with the district court that Sawyer waived this argument by not advancing it in the Answer. Under Rule 71.1, [a] defendant waives all objections and defenses not stated in its answer. No other pleading or motion asserting an additional objection or defense is allowed. Fed.R.Civ.P. 71.1(e)(3). Because Sawyer did not raise the federal government's failure to comply with California law in the Answer, we affirm the district court's waiver ruling. In any event, the Supremacy Clause, Article VI, clause 2, of the United States Constitution forecloses Sawyer's noncompliance argument. Preemption of state law is compelled whether Congress' command is explicitly stated in the statute's language or implicitly contained in its structure and purpose. Jones v. Rath Packing Co., 430 U.S. 519, 525, 97 S.Ct. 1305, 51 L.Ed.2d 604 (1977). With respect to the regulation of electric power transmission networks, Part II of the Federal Power Act, codified at 16 U.S.C. §§ 824-824m, delegates to the Federal Energy Commission ` exclusive authority to regulate the transmission and sale at wholesale of electric energy in interstate commerce.'  Transmission Ag. of N. Cal. v. Sierra Pac. Power Co., 295 F.3d 918, 928 (9th Cir.2002) (quoting New Eng. Power Co. v. New Hampshire, 455 U.S. 331, 340, 102 S.Ct. 1096, 71 L.Ed.2d 188 (1982)). Because the statute expressly commands exclusive federal regulation and Sawyer has not pointed to an unequivocal pronouncement by Congress to overcome the resulting presumption of preemption, California law is preempted and WAPA is not required to comply therewith in constructing the Path 15 Upgrade. [3]