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FERC Nominees Voted Favorably Out of Senate Committee

By Joshua St.Pierre posted 06-06-2024 11:58 AM

  
On June 4, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR) voted to progress a bipartisan slate of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) nominees. As a reminder, FERC is an independent agency tasked with regulating the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. APGA member systems are often impacted by FERC’s decisions pertaining to interstate transmission rate setting and subsequent rate cases. FERC also makes decisions on permitting new natural gas infrastructure.
 
President Biden nominated three individuals, two Democrats and one Republican, earlier this year for the open seats on the Commission. The Senate ENR Committee is responsible for examining the nominees and ultimately determining whether they should be brought before the entire Senate to be confirmed. This Committee vote was the next step in a process that will conclude with a confirmation vote by the whole Senate. That action could take place next week or sometime in the next several months. Timing is uncertain at this point. Once confirmed by the Senate the new Commissioners will be able to begin their work.
 
Read more about the nominees here.
 
APGA members should be pleased to see movement in Congress on the bipartisan slate of nominees as it is important that the Commission maintain a quorum. With the end of Commissioner Allison Clements’s term fast approaching, there is concern that FERC will not be able to conduct its regular business as her departure would mean a lack of quorum. An extended period of time without a fully seated Commission could result in delays that would impact new infrastructure projects, rate case proceedings, etc. 
 
APGA encourages members of Congress to act swiftly and bring the nominees to the full Senate for a vote as soon as possible. APGA staff will continue to work with offices on Capitol Hill to share about the importance of a fully seated and functioning FERC. 
 
For questions on this article, please contact Josh St.Pierre of APGA staff by phone at 202-407-0015 or by email at jstpierre@apga.org.
 
 

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