05/24/2017

Urge Your Senators to Confirm FERC Nominees

As a member of EEIA, NAHAD has been vigorously engaged in urging the Trump Administration to nominate, and the Senate leadership to confirm as quickly as possible, nominees to fill vacancies on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). A minimum of two are needed to restore a quorum and allow the Commission to proceed with approvals of pipeline projects that have been delayed or jeopardized because of FERC's inability to act.

On May 8 President Trump announced his intention to appoint Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to the Commission. Last week, the necessary paperwork was compleled and the nominees were formally sent to the Senate, and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for hearings and, we hope, a positive Committee referral to the full Senate for vote on confirmation. On receipt of the nominations, Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) immediately scheduled the Senate ENR Committee hearing, which will happen tomorrow, Thursday May 25 at 10:00 AM. Opposition is expected given the Committee's membership (see list here).

EEIA recently sent a letter (available here) to the Committee's leadership and members urging swift approval of the nominees. Your outreach would also be especially valuable to any Committee members that represent states where you are based, or have operations. We strongly encourage you to contact such members - by end of business today - and urge them to vote in favor of confirmation. Don't hesitate to forward the EEIA letter, or quote from it in your conversation. If you cannot reach the Senator directly, it is also important for you to communicate your message to a staff member for relay to the Senator. If you get through and receive an indication of how your Senator will vote, please pass that back to me immediately by phone or email. We regret the very short notice although we were please by the quick action by Chairman Murkowski.

We are not yet sure when the Committee vote will occur, but it could be taken at the end of the hearing so time is of the essence. If the Committee votes in favor and reports the nominees to the full Senate, a confirmation vote will be scheduled for some point in the not-too-distant future, and we will keep you posted on timing as it will be important to express support to all Senators prior to the final vote.

If all goes well, before too long FERC will be back in business and some major pipeline projects can resume moving through the approval process forward to construction.

Thanks for your help in making that happen. Don't hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Toby Mack, President
Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance
(202) 870-7715