Tag Archives: Energy and Natural Resources Committee

U.S. Senate hearing on LNG export, pipelines, solar, smart grid tomorrow 2015-05-14

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Many energy infrastructure bills to be considered tomorrow, some apparently bad: S. 411 — Natural Gas Gathering Act “To authorize the approval of natural gas pipelines and establish deadlines and expedite permits for certain natural gas gathering lines on Federal land and Indian land.” That one proposed by the same Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso who complained about conflicts of interest for former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff until he resigned; the same Senator who didn’t like that new FERC Chair Norman Bay mentioned sun first among New Mexico’s abundant energy resources. Sourcewatch says “John Barrasso has voted in favor of big oil companies on 100% of important oil related bills, according to Oil Change International.”

Some bills to be considered tomorrow are apparently good: S. 1237 – To amend the Natural Gas Act to limit the authority of Continue reading U.S. Senate hearing on LNG export, pipelines, solar, smart grid tomorrow 2015-05-14 →

Norman Bay new FERC Chair?

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The fossil fuel industries that fund FERC also control enough Senate seats to make approving a non-fracking FERC chair very difficult. Did they just do so?

Michael Coleman wrote for the Albequerque Journal 18 June 2014, Senate committee approves NM’s Norman Bay to lead FERC,

Norman Bay, a former U.S. Attorney in New Mexico and University of New Mexico School of Law professor, won support from a key Senate panel today in his bid to become head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but not without some significant objections from committee members.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13-9 to approve President Obama’s nomination of Bay to the powerful regulatory post.

That article has various verbiage about how well Bay knows energy. But why did it take so long to find a replacement after former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff resigned last November? Wellinghoff resigned after allegations Continue reading Norman Bay new FERC Chair? →