Clinton

While the stance of the Republican presidential candidates is well known to be planted on the business side of oil and gas shale and fracking, there appears to be some moderation recently on the Democratic side, where candidates must dodge the slings and arrows of their environmental base.

After months of being hounded on the campaign trail to take a position on the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that she is opposed to the project and had delayed taking a position to avoid interfering with the Obama administration.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson said Thursday she will resign from that position after President Obama’s State of the Union speech next month, bringing to an end a sometimes tumultuous four-year tenure.

The Colorado Mining Association (CMA) has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider its challenge to the Clinton-era “roadless rule,” which places restrictions on road-building to carry out energy exploration and production, logging and other commercial activities on forest lands. The CMA petition comes only days after the State of Wyoming petitioned the high court to review the October 2011 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which had overturned a 2008 U.S. District Court ruling permanently enjoining the enforcement of the roadless rule (see Daily GPI, Oct. 25, 2011). Because the roadless rule violated the National Environmental Policy Act and Wilderness Act. it “must be set aside,” U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer of Wyoming wrote in his 2008 decision (see Daily GPI, Aug. 14, 2008). “If allowed to stand, the roadless rule will effectively prevent future mining operations on roadless lands lead to a decrease in mineral and coal production, job losses and sharp decreases in taxes and revenues,” said attorney Paul Seby, who filed the CMA’s petition with the high court.

Transportation attorney Cynthia L. Quarterman — who was directer of Minerals Management Service (MMS) in the Clinton administration — was nominated by President Obama to be administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Rachelle Chong, a former Federal Communications Commissioner in the Clinton Administration, was named by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Wednesday to the California Public Utilities Commission, replacing Susan Kennedy, who left last month to become the governor’s chief of staff. Chong joins the five-member regulatory commission immediately, although her appointment is subject to state Senate confirmation. She can begin serving for up to a year without confirmation.

Richard Clarke, former anti-terrorism czar for both the Bush and Clinton administrations, is preparing a threat analysis of the proposed marine transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Narragansett Bay, said Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch. The U.S. Coast Guard has requested a copy of the analysis, which is due to be completed by mid-April.

Richard Clarke, former anti-terrorism czar for both the Bush and Clinton administrations, is preparing a threat analysis of the proposed marine transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Narragansett Bay, said Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch. The U.S. Coast Guard has requested a copy of the analysis, which is due to be completed by mid-April.

With the former Clinton Administration energy secretary, now New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, as its current chairperson, the Western Governors Association (WGA) announced Friday in will be hosting a North American Energy Summit April 14-16 in Albuquerque, NM.