Senate confirms new energy regulators, expanding Biden’s control on panel that supports renewable energy

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden’s control of a key federal energy commission will last beyond his first term, giving the Democrat’s push for renewable energy a boost regardless of the results of the November election.

The Senate moved to ensure that political reality as lawmakers approved two new members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and set a vote on a new third panelist as soon as Thursday.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said confirmation of the three nominees would allow FERC to “maintain its quorum and continue its mission to provide Americans with affordable, reliable energy reliable and safe”.

The five-member commission oversees natural gas pipelines and other energy infrastructure, including the transmission of electricity over state lines. The panel approved a long-awaited rule last month making it easier to transmit renewable energy such as wind and solar power to the power grid — a key part of Biden’s goal for him eliminating economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The rule aims to boost the nation’s aging power grid to meet growing demand driven by large data centers, electrification of vehicles and buildings, artificial intelligence and other uses.

Earlier this week, the agency approved a request from the Mountain Valley pipeline of nearly $8 billion to begin sending natural gas through rugged mountainsides in West Virginia and Virginia, despite longstanding opposition from environmental groups, landowners and some elected officials.

On Wednesday, the Senate approved the nominations of Democrat David Rosner and Republican Lindsay See for three- and four-year terms, respectively, on the commission. Senators also limited debate on the nomination of Democrat Judy Chang to a five-year term. A final vote on Chang’s nomination to replace Democrat Allison Clements could happen as soon as Thursday.

If passed as expected, the vote would give Democrats a working majority on the commission until at least June 2026, when Democratic Chairman Willie Phillips’ term is set to expire.

“A fully seated, bipartisan FERC offers more opportunities to advance long-term and sensible energy infrastructure policy,” said West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. .

“When it comes to fairly evaluating all interests, five heads are better than one,” Manchin said Wednesday. “Bringing together five different people, with five different life experiences and perspectives, helps to ensure that all affected interests are heard and fairly considered and evaluated” by the energy commission.

Rosner, See and Chang “are very different people, from very different backgrounds,” said Manchin, who endorsed all three nominees. “What matters most is their willingness to work with each other, to consider and evaluate quite different interests and perspectives, and to put aside partisan passions in favor of the public interest.

Rosner, a former FERC employee, has spent the past two years on Manchin’s Democratic staff on the energy committee. Shih, who serves as the attorney general for the state of West Virginia, argued the state’s case challenging a major US Environmental Protection Agency rule on power plant pollution before the Supreme Court. Chang, of Massachusetts, is a former undersecretary of energy and climate solutions for the state government.

Manchin said he knows Rosner well: “I’ve seen firsthand his expert knowledge of energy issues, his fairness, his nonpartisan approach to every problem we’ve had, and his ability to work with both parties on these issues.” , and he has done so remarkably. .”

Manchin, a political moderate who plays a key role on energy issues, called See “a very skilled and experienced attorney” who is “qualified to serve on the committee.”

Chang, who now teaches at Harvard’s Kennedy School, led energy policy under Republican Gov. Charlie Baker. “I can think of no better preparation for serving on a bipartisan commission than working for a Republican administration in a very blue state,” Manchin said.

Rosner’s nomination was approved, 67-27, while See won approval, 83-12.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia opposed both nominations, saying he remained unhappy with federal approval of the Mountain Valley pipeline, a longtime Manchin priority.

“I voted no to stamp out the same seniors at FERC,” Kaine said in a statement.