Ron Binz’ nomination to the FERC chairmanship was hanging by a thread late last week after coal-state lawmakers took the former Colorado regulator to task at his confirmation hearing and Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.V.) announced he would oppose the nominee.
Binz will need the backing of one Republican and all of the remaining 11 Democrats to win the recommendation of the 22-member Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. That will be tough for Democrats to pull off.
Ranking member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has already stated her opposition and no Republicans spoke in favor of Binz at his confirmation hearing Tuesday. Also in doubt is Sen. Mary Landrieu (D., La.), who has not indicated she will support the nominee.
`War on Coal’ Target
If Binz’ nomination fails, it will be because he became the target for those angry over the Obama administration’s so-called “war on coal.”
Binz would have limited influence over coal’s life or death as FERC chairman: Although FERC policies ensuring transmission access for renewables impacts coal indirectly, the agency has no role in the setting of climate or pollution policy.
But the timing of his confirmation hearing was inauspicious. The War-on-Coal blowback reached a crescendo last week as the EPA issued its long-awaited greenhouse gas limits on new power plants.
Manchin complained at Tuesday’s hearing that Obama’s environmental policies were beating the “living crap” out of his state. On Wednesday, he announced his opposition to Binz, criticizing him for prioritizing “renewables over reliability.
“His approach of demonizing coal and gas has increased electricity costs for consumers,” Manchin said.
Colorado PUC
Binz served as chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission from 2007 through 2011, during which he drew praise from renewable energy advocates and opposition from the coal industry.
Binz participated in the drafting of Colorado’s Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act, which offered utilities incentives for replacing coal-fired power plants with natural gas. The bill, which was opposed by the coal industry, led to the retirement of six coal-fired generators, the addition of pollution controls at two others and the construction of new gas generation at a cost of about $1 billion. See: Who is Ron Binz, And What Will He Do at FERC?
Binz told last week’s hearing he would be “source neutral” and emphasize reliability as FERC chair. He noted that coal provides 40% of Colorado’s electricity, more than any other source. He also acknowledged he had spoken “inartfully” at a forum when he called natural gas a “dead end” fuel.
Norris Allegation
Adding to Binz’ woes last week were comments from FERC Commissioner John Norris, who reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid persuaded President Obama to reject him as FERC chairman because he was too “pro-coal.”
Norris, a Democrat, told TransmissionHub that Reid’s chief of staff cited a vote he made as a member of the Iowa Utilities Board. Reid’s office denied Norris’ account.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he would actively work against the nomination of what he called the Senate Majority Leader’s “foot soldier in his and this Administration’s War on Coal.”
