Nominee

A “fifth-generation son of the West” and nominee for the top post at the U.S. Department of Interior told a Senate committee last Thursday his first priority will be to clean up the scandal-plagued agency. President-elect Obama’s pick for Interior secretary, Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar (D), also emphasized the need for renewable energy development and conservation.

A “fifth-generation son of the West” and nominee for the top post at the U.S. Department of Interior told a Senate committee Thursday his first priority will be to clean up the scandal-plagued agency. President-elect Obama’s pick for Interior secretary, Ken Salazar, also emphasized the need for renewable energy development and conservation.

FERC nominee Marc Spitzer Wednesday cautioned against the nation’s growing reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG), saying the United States shouldn’t put all of its “eggs in one basket.”

Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, warned Interior secretary nominee Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne Thursday not to side with one coastal state against another in the ongoing, heated dispute over whether to allow greater oil and natural gas leasing in the gas-prone eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Interior secretary nominee Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne failed to reach any agreement on leasing in the eastern Gulf of Mexico during a nearly one-hour meeting Wednesday, a Nelson spokesman said.

Senate confirmation of Energy Secretary nominee Samuel Bodman, which appeared to be on track to occur last Wednesday, is expected to take place today (Jan. 31), a press aide for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said.

Senate confirmation of Energy Secretary nominee Samuel Bodman, which appeared to be on track to occur Wednesday, has been pushed back to next Monday, a press aide for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said.

Energy Secretary nominee Spencer Abraham said during his Senateconfirmation hearing last Thursday that the grave power crisisfacing California would be a priority of the Bush White House. Butno sooner had those words been uttered than incoming PresidentGeorge W. Bush essentially wiped his hands clean of the state’sproblems. Key Senate Republicans as well urged Abraham and the BushWhite House to take a hands-off approach to the continuing crisis.

Referring to herself as both a “conservationist and aconservative,” Interior Secretary nominee Gale Norton walked a finetightrope yesterday in an effort to persuade her Senate Republicanand Democratic inquisitors that, despite the controversysurrounding her nomination, she is the best choice for the job.