Obama

The law firm of Stoel Rrives LLP announced Monday that outgoing FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff will join the practice when he departs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Wellinghoff submitted his resignation to President Obama on May 28, but no date has been set for his departure (see Daily GPI, May 30). His term as chairman expired in June, but he can continue to serve until Congress adjourns for the year. Stoel Rives, which has offices in Washington, DC, and San Francisco, has nearly 100 attorneys. It has received a prestigious National First-Tier ranking for Energy Law in every edition of the annual U.S. News-Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” survey, and has been recognized as one of the nation’s best law firms for renewables and alternative energy by independent research Chambers and Partners for four consecutive years, according to Stoel Rives. Obama tapped Wellinghoff as FERC chairman in March 2009. He has served on the Commission since 2006. Wellinghoff has 37 years experience in regulatory, consumer and commercial law.

President Obama and congressional Republicans traded accusations Tuesday over who was responsible for slowing or stopping of federal permitting for oil and gas drilling.

Colette D. Honorable “is very confirmable,” said an industry spokeswoman.

Amid controversy over his pro-renewable energy and anti-fossil fuel sentiments, former Colorado regulator Ron Binz has asked President Obama to withdraw his name from further consideration as a nominee for FERC chairman.

The four co-chairs of the House of Representatives’ Natural Gas Caucus Wednesday had one message for the Obama administration: stay out of state regulators’ oil and natural gas activities.

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) best practices need to be improved, but the drilling practice can be done safely, according to Stanford University’s Steven Chu, who served as Energy Secretary during the first Obama administration.

The Senate confirmation hearing for former Colorado regulator Ronald Binz to join FERC is still a day away, but already the fireworks have started.

Although President Obama and the participants in a town hall meeting at Binghamton University in New York on Friday devoted most of their discourse to education, energy was mentioned once, with the president acknowledging the rise of natural gas but calling for further investment in alternative energy not derived from fossil fuels.

Although President Obama and the participants in a town hall meeting at Binghamton University in New York on Friday devoted most of their discourse to education, energy was mentioned once, with the president acknowledging the rise of natural gas but calling for further investment in alternative energy not derived from fossil fuels.