In response to some nudging from the Senate, the White House hasofficially renominated Commissioner Curt Hebert Jr. to a newfive-year term at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It’sexpected the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee willhold a hearing and vote out his renomination possibly by the Augustrecess. Until then, Hebert – whose current term expired June 30th -will continue to serve at FERC under a grace period that ends withthe current session of Congress in late October.

“We will try to move as expeditiously as possible” on Hebert’srenomination, said a spokeswoman for the committee. “His term hasexpired and, of course, he can stay in office, but we don’t want toleave him hanging.”

Although there was “nothing firm” on when the Senate EnergyCommittee would act on Hebert’s renomination, the spokeswomanspeculated that it would occur by the Aug. 7 congressional recess.The renomination then would be forwarded to the full Senate, whereshe said she was “not aware” of any problems that might arise.

Following months of delay, the White House officially sent therenomination of Hebert to the Senate committee on July 1 – one dayafter Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) voted during a committee businessmeeting to hold up two nominations to the Department of Energy(DOE). Craig signaled that he would continue to block the DOEnominations until the Clinton administration renominated Hebert.The White House had announced its intention to renominate Hebertback in April, but it had put off sending the paperwork to thecommittee.

In explaining the White House’s delay, a source said “therumors…..were that they wanted to wait until the fall and send[Chairman James] Hoecker’s nomination at the same time” asHebert’s. “The strategy would be that any disagreements [in theSenate] would be canceled out by having a Republican and a Democratnominee up at the same time.” Hoecker’s current term at theCommission is due to expire June 2000. By seeking advance Senateapproval for Hoecker, a Democrat, the source speculated the WhiteHouse also had hoped to avoid any fallout from next year’selections that might affect his renomination.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS), who is considered amentor and close friend of Hebert’s, first sent a letter to theWhite House last January recommending him for a second term on theCommission. Hebert also has had the support of Senate EnergyCommittee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) and Craig.

Hebert, a former Mississippi state legislator and regulator, wasnamed to FERC in November 1997 to fill the remainder of the termvacated by former Commissioner Donald Santa. During his abbreviatedfirst term, he has earned the reputation as probably the mostoutspoken member of FERC.

Susan Parker

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