Commissioner

Former Pennsylvania state utility commissioner Robert Powelson was officially sworn in as the third commissioner — and the quorum-maker — at FERC Thursday, earlier than some agency onlookers were expecting.

There’s still no word from the White House about the Trump administration’s plans to fill the three vacant seats at FERC but, with a logjam of energy projects forming due to the lack of a quorum, rumors abound that at least one nominee will soon be forthcoming.

The continuing lack of a quorum at FERC, an agency key to any administration in achieving its energy platform, has more than a dozen Democratic members of Congress calling on President Trump to begin the process of filling vacancies.

FERC has canceled its Feb. 16 agenda meeting and suspended subsequent monthly meetings as the agency awaits appointment of enough commissioners to achieve a quorum.

The spectre of a FERC unable to achieve a quorum following the resignation of Norman Bay, and thus unable to vote on a series of energy projects, prompted two prominent natural gas organizations on Friday to urge the fledgling Trump administration to waste no time in nominating new commissioners.

Within minutes of President Trump taking the oath of office Friday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Commissioner J. Christopher Giancarlo had been designated as acting chairman of the regulatory agency. Giancarlo succeeded Timothy Massad, who earlier this monthtendered his resignation to then-President Obama, effective Jan. 20. At the time, CFTC said Massad would remain a commissioner at CFTC “for a few weeks in order to close out his office and handle administrative matters.” Giancarlo, a Republican and frequent critic of CFTC decisions under Massad, was a brokerage firm executive before being appointed to CFTC in 2014. Massad’s resignation will leave only two commissioners at CFTC — Giancarlo and Sharon Bowen, a Democrat confirmed in 2014 — which could create a logjam, since there would not be enough commissioners to constitute a quorum. There can be as many as five CFTC commissioners, with no more than three from any political party serving simultaneously, so — assuming Giancarlo and Bowen stay on board — Trump could nominate as many as two more Republicans and one Democrat to fill the vacant seats.

Within minutes of President Trump taking the oath of office Friday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Commissioner J. Christopher Giancarlo had been designated as acting chairman of the regulatory agency. Giancarlo succeeded Timothy Massad, who earlier this monthtendered his resignation to then-President Obama, effective Jan. 20. At the time, CFTC said Massad would remain a commissioner at CFTC “for a few weeks in order to close out his office and handle administrative matters.” Giancarlo, a Republican and frequent critic of CFTC decisions under Massad, was a brokerage firm executive before being appointed to CFTC in 2014. Massad’s resignation will leave only two commissioners at CFTC — Giancarlo and Sharon Bowen, a Democrat confirmed in 2014 — which could create a logjam, since there would not be enough commissioners to constitute a quorum. There can be as many as five CFTC commissioners, with no more than three from any political party serving simultaneously, so — assuming Giancarlo and Bowen stay on board — Trump could nominate as many as two more Republicans and one Democrat to fill the vacant seats.

Recently elected Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian took his oath of office Monday. “It is a tremendous honor and responsibility to serve the state of Texas in this capacity,” he said. “I look forward to ensuring the Texas Railroad Commission continues its 125-year legacy of encouraging responsible energy production and creating jobs.” He joins Chairman Christi Craddick and Commissioner Ryan Sitton as the third member of the Railroad Commission of Texas.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has unanimously elected Commissioner Dana Murphy as its new chairman, and Commissioner Todd Hiett as vice chairman. Both changes will take effect on Feb. 1. Murphy will succeed Commissioner Bob Anthony as chairman. Murphy has served as a commissioner since January 2009 and was elected to her latest term in the 2016 election. Meanwhile, Hiett is serving his first term, which began in January 2015.