March 03, 2020

Wyden on FERC Nominee Vote: “The Trump administration appears determined to overthrow any semblance of independence at the FERC”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement opposing today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources vote advancing the nomination of James P. Danly to be a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC):

“The Trump administration appears determined to overthrow any semblance of independence at the FERC. For months, the agency has operated without a full and bipartisan commission, throwing into question whether its decisions are partisan in nature. That the administration is working to advance the Danly nomination without a Democratic nominee only tilts the scale further,” Wyden said. “The American people deserve a FERC that will ensure fair, open, fact-based and non-political consideration of projects—and that requires a full and bipartisan FERC.”

There are currently two vacancies on the commission. Should the Senate confirm Danly, a Republican, three of the four confirmed commissioners would be Republicans, leaving one Democratic vacancy and running counter to the commission’s longstanding tradition of balance and bipartisanship.

Wyden, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in January called for Donald Trump to appoint a full and bipartisan commission before the commission rules on complex projects, such as the Jordan Cove Energy Project in Oregon.

Video of Wyden opposing the nomination during today’s Committee meeting is available here and below.

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