FERC won’t have a quorum after Feb. 3

President Donald Trump named Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur acting chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Jan. 26. Former Chairman Norman Bay tendered his resignation to the president that same day, effective Feb. 3.

That will leave FERC with only two commissioners, LaFleur and Colette D. Honorable, of a five-member panel. Three commissioners are required for a quorum.

LaFleur said Jan. 27 that the commission “is working to get as many orders out as we can in the time we have left with a quorum” and added that “nominations for the three openings on the Commission would be very welcome.”

She said the commission is evaluating how best to do business after Bay’s departure.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said in a statement, “FERC will need a full complement of commissioners as soon as possible so that it can tackle the important work on its busy docket.”

“The Senate’s challenge will be to promptly consider, without undue delay, FERC nominations once they are received. I will make it a top priority to work with President Trump and my colleagues to move nominees rapidly and to re-establish a working quorum on the Commission,” she said.

Murkowski is chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

- KRISTEN NELSON