Trump Officially Nominates McNamee to FERC, Lighting Fuse to Confrontation Over Coal Bailouts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Donald Trump formally nominated his initial coal bailout architect, Bernard McNamee, to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today in order to fill the seat of resigning commissioner Robert Powelson. McNamee helped roll out Energy Secretary Rick Perry's failed coal and nuclear bailout proposal last year, which would have cost electricity customers billions of dollars. He has also been a lifelong employee of dirty fossil fuel companies and their allies.

In response, Mary Anne Hitt, Senior Director of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, released the following statement:

“Bernard McNamee’s nomination to FERC is a clear assault on FERC’s independence, and we’ll do everything we can to stop his Senate confirmation. From just a quick look at his resume, the speeches he’s made, and his past associations, it’s clear McNamee is nothing more than a political plant for Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Donald Trump. Collectively, they are trying to use FERC to manipulate America’s electricity markets to bailout dirty and expensive coal plants that are heading toward retirement, while locking in a fossil fuel future for communities across the country.

“If the Trump administration moves forward with its scam to bailout the coal industry, taxpayers and electricity customers will be forced to pay tens of billions of dollars to subsidize these uneconomic coal plants for years, plants that instead could be replaced by cleaner, cheaper energy today. Meanwhile, communities will be saddled with dirty and dangerous fracked gas projects, polluting their air and water for decades to come. In terms of  protecting public health, government accountability, and consumer protection, this is one of Trump’s worst nominees yet. Senators must reject this nomination to ensure the FERC remains an independent agency that puts the priorities of the people first, not polluters.”