On Tuesday, the North Carolina Senate began the confirmation process for Dionne Delli-Gatti, Gov. Roy Cooper’s nominee to replace Michael S. Regan as the state’s secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. Regan was tapped by President Biden to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The hearing, led by the Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment committee, was the beginning of a process to officially approve the new secretary, even though Delli-Gatti, the first woman to lead the DEQ, was sworn into the position in March. The committee, composed of 11 Republicans and eight Democrats, focused on Delli-Gatti’s views on implementing the governor’s clean energy plan, making environmental permitting processes more efficient and working with utilities.

Before joining DEQ, Delli-Gatti was director of southeast climate and energy at the Environmental Defense Fund, where Regan also worked. She also spent six years in the EPA’s Atlanta office.

Sen. Paul Newton (R) was the first to question Delli-Gatti, asking if she personally thought natural gas should be phased out in North Carolina.

Natural gas has emerged as a contentious issue in the state. A bill in the House, promoted by the American Gas Association, would prevent municipalities from banning natural gas hook-ups in buildings. (See Gas Industry Brings Fight Against Building Electrification to NC.)  Strong public opposition has also emerged to Duke Energy’s 2020 integrated resource plans, which include a significant buildout of natural gas power plants. Many critics have said that new gas plants would significantly increase ratepayer costs because the plants would have to close early to meet both the state’s and Duke’s goals of net zero emissions by 2050. (See NC Net-zero Goals Could Hinge on Duke IRPs.)

Delli-Gatti responded carefully, stressing the need to be “thoughtful” in considering “what the appropriate generation mixes are to provide clean, reliable and cost-effective energy as we move into the next decades.”

What those appropriate mixes might be, she said, “are yet to be seen,” noting that she is “very curious” about what energy legislation emerges from the House.

Delli-Gatti described herself as a “consensus builder,” with a “very strong relationship with Duke Energy and Steven De May,” the utility’s North Carolina president. De May was, she said, the first person to congratulate her on her nomination.

Another much-discussed topic was environmental permitting. DEQ oversees a variety of permits, including those relating to coastal erosion, hazardous waste disposal and wastewater treatment. A number of committee members complained about DEQ’s long wait-times for permits.

Sen. Norman Sanderson (R), one of the committee co-chairs, said to Delli-Gatti that “so much of our business community’s future plans depend on what they can expect out of your department.”

Delli-Gatti refrained from committing to faster permitting, saying that DEQ needs to balance environmental protection, economic benefits and requirements of the law. However, Gov. Cooper addressed the issue in his 2021-2023 budget proposal, which includes $5.6 million for a modernized and streamlined DEQ permitting process that creates “more transparency and better customer services for the regulated community and NC residents.”

The Senate committee hearing ended without a vote, signaling a continuation of the confirmation process.