New Mexico Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich was among those Democrats on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee who couldn’t bring himself to vote Thursday for two Trump administration nominees to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The committee approved the nominations of Laura Swett and David LaCerte to fill empty seats at FERC but it came on a 12-8 party-line vote. The nominations will be sent to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
Heinrich is the ranking member on the committee and according to Utility Dive, said he would normally have voted for Swett because of her experience as a staffer at FERC where she worked in the Commission’s enforcement office and was also an advisor to commissioners. But he stopped short of supporting her.
“But these are not normal times,” said the Senator. “This administration is issuing illegal stop work orders on fully permitted projects. They are creating a grid crisis. They are killing good union jobs, and they are raising electricity prices.”
As for the other nominee, David LaCerte, he was also not supported by Sen. Heinrich.
LaCerte is with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and previously was acting managing director at the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
Heinrich contended LaCerte didn’t have the required experience to sit as a FERC commissioner and had “little or no” experience with the complexitied of the energy industries and markets.
Chaired by Utah U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, the Senate Energy Committee does not include any Oklahoma Senators.
Click here for Utility Dive