Brian Willis: 202.675.2386, Brian.Willis@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Donald Trump seemingly broke a long-held, bipartisan norm last night by seeking to fill only one of two open seats on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Rather than following established custom and pairing a Republican with a Democrat, Trump nominated only Republican James Danly, despite there being a qualified Democrat put forward. This decision harms the deliberative process in the Senate and FERC’s mission of being a fair, nonpolitical arbiter of America’s energy markets.
In addition to overlooking Danly’s limited energy regulation experience and his record of promoting fringe regulatory positions, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chairwoman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has remained steadfast that she will take up his nomination without waiting for, or demanding, a Democratic counterpart. Her position has prompted protests from fellow Senators, energy policy experts, and regulatory stakeholders.
In response, Mary Anne Hitt, Senior Director of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, released the following statement:
“Donald Trump’s decision -- and Senator Murkowski’s acquiescence -- to exclude a Democratic nominee from his announcement of the Republican counterpart is a breach of precedent and another swipe at FERC’s historically independent mission. We strongly urge Senator Murkowski to demand nominees be paired and considered concurrently, and that the administration quickly put forward Mr. Danly’s Democratic counterpart. Not doing so will risk further denigrating this important Commission.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.