Jaczko departure a win-win for Congress? - States battle over closeness to Obama EPA - Sensenbrenner hits Heartland over billboards - BSEE holds seminar on blowout preventers

By Alex Guillén

With help from Darius Dixon, Darren Goode and Bob King


A WIN-WIN? NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko’s announced resignation offers an opportunity to the White House and both parties in Congress: a chance to walk away quickly with a deal they can all live with. While Jaczko’s departure is probably a boon for Republican NRC member Kristine Svinicki’s chances of being reconfirmed sooner rather than later, his exit also allows Democrats to slip a fresh face onto the commission and end months of rancor over his chairmanship.

SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD HE GO NOW: A number of GOP lawmakers, including leaders on the House Science Committee, say Jaczko should leave now rather than stick around until his successor is confirmed. “He’s made a decision to leave; I think he should leave now,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told ME. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.): “I think once you resign, it seems to me …you shouldn’t drag it out forever,” the Environment and Public Works ranking member said. “Once you resign, I think you should probably leave, but I don’t really have any strong feelings about it.”

ON DECK: A number of names have been mentioned for Jaczko’s replacement. ME heard suggestions about Allison Macfarlane, a George Mason University environmental science professor who was considered in 2005 before the spot went to Jaczko, and Dave Lochbaum, the director of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ nuclear program. Tell ME who you think could get the nod at [email protected].

THE DARK HORSE CANDIDATE: Celebrity chef Ina Garten, who worked in the Ford and Carter White Houses as a nuclear energy budget analyst.

NRC APPOINTS REGION III CHIEF: Charles Casto, an NRC career employee of more than two and a half decades, will head up NRC’s Region III office in the Midwest, the agency announced Monday. Casto headed up NRC’s team dispatched to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear site in Japan after last year’s earthquake and tsunami. More from the Chicago Tribune: http://trib.in/KsQv0O

HAPPY TUESDAY and welcome to Morning Energy, where we’re not concerned the Orioles lost to Boston last night. Tell ME just how long the O’s will hang on to their league lead — and share your energy news — at [email protected]. And follow on Twitter: @ alexcguillen, @ POLITICOPro and @ Morning_Energy.

STATES BATTLE OVER CLOSENESS TO OBAMA EPA: A civil war is brewing over how much energy-producing states should support (or fight) President Obama's EPA, and a national organization of state and local air regulators is the newest cannon fodder. Scott Nally, Ohio’s top environmental regulator, is attempting to lure more than two dozen states away from the National Association of Clean Air Agencies to form a new air group with a distinctly pro-industry viewpoint. Erica Martinson has the story for Pros: http://politico.pro/Mg71VE

TELL EPA HOW YOU REALLY FEEL: West Virginia is sponsoring a three-day forum this week on “EPA’s War on Coal,” where the state will aim its magnifying glass at EPA’s greenhouse gas rule and mercury and air toxics standards for power plants. Martinson: http://politico.pro/JC7l2U

SENSENBRENNER HITS HEARTLAND OVER BILLBOARDS: Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) will address the Heartland Institute’s International Conference on Climate Change in Chicago this morning, when he plans to once again chastise the think tank’s recent billboards comparing climate change believers to the Unabomber (Sensenbrenner threatened to pull out of the conference over the ads). Opponents of cap and trade and other climate initiatives can win policy arguments without resorting to low blows, he’ll say. “We can continue to win these debates on the strength of our arguments, without recourse to unsavory tactics that only serve to detract from our message,” Sensenbrenner will say, according to an aide.

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: Natural gas brings cost savings and efficiency to industries and sectors ranging from chemical companies to vehicle manufacturers. Even housing communities are taking note as they convert their heating equipment to run on abundant, American natural gas. http://bit.ly/Kh8mKg **

STAR POWER: The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement holds a seminar on next-generation blowout preventers and control systems technology, including lessons learned from the Deepwater Horizon accident. Headlining the event are Secretary Ken Salazar, Deputy Secretary David Hayes and BSEE Director Jim Watson, starting 9 a.m. at 1900 Constitution Ave. NW.

CAMPAIGN FILINGS: A few takeaways from new April campaign filings:

— ExxonMobil may be the largest oil and gas company, but it was outspent in April by PACs representing El Paso Corp. ($246,000), ConocoPhillips ($189,466), Koch Industries ($100,467.51), Valero Energy ($91,095.20) and NuStar ($52,817.58). Exxon’s PAC spent $48,506 in April.

— Chesapeake Energy’s PAC dropped $61,784.71 in April, much of it before news first broke April 18 that CEO Aubrey McClendon had borrowed money using his stake in company-owned wells as collateral. Of the $22,750 spent after April 18, $2,500 went to Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) and the rest went to state races (including $15,000 to Barry Smitherman for Texas railroad commissioner).

— A number of Republicans hoping to pick up Democratic seats received tidy sums from Chevron and ExxonMobil PACs. Among them: Rick Berg, running for North Dakota’s Senate seat, got $5,000 each from ExxonMobil and Chevron; Heather Wilson, the moderate former congresswoman running to replace the retiring Sen. Jeff Bingaman, landed $5,000 from Exxon and another grand from Chevron; and former California Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado, who is challenging Rep. Lois Capps in a redistricted seat, took in $5,000 from Chevron.

— Other members of the Big Five oil companies’ $5,000 Club: Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), both of whom landed $5,000 each from Chevron’s PAC.

— Oil magnate Harold Hamm — Mitt Romney’s top energy adviser — forked over $985,000 to Restore Our Future, a pro-Romney super PAC. More from MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/KXE0Px

NAVY WANTS BIOFUELS: The Navy opposes efforts in Congress to block it from spending money on alternative energy and biofuels because it hurts the military’s energy security, Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the Navy’s chief of naval operations, wrote on Monday to Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.). “While the Navy does not intend to purchase alternative liquid fuels for operational use until they are price competitive with petroleum-based fuels, the Navy needs flexibility to continue the testing and certification of all potential alternative fuel pathways,” Greenert wrote: http://politico.pro/Ktag8o

THE HOUSE last week passed amendments blocking the Pentagon from spending money on alternative fuels that cost more than petroleum-based fuels as part of its 2013 defense authorization package. The Senate is marking up its own NDAA starting this week. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) told ME on Monday that he is still working on his own similar amendments for the Senate version.

HANDING OVER THE KEYS: As federal support for clean energy fades, foreign funding from China, France and elsewhere is starting to fill the “capital hole,” Third Way says in a report out today. “They do this because they have a longer-term vision than Congress does about just how important the clean energy sector will be to the broader economy in the years ahead,” the report says. “A Congress apparently blind to the emergence of a clean and renewable energy sector in the U.S. is about to turn over the keys to this critical industry to others.” Third Way’s report: http://politico.pro/J9kkE0

CRS LOOKS AT KEYSTONE GHG BUMP: Extracting and processing Canadian oil sands — which releases 17 percent more greenhouse gas emissions than an average mix of crude oil imported in 2005 — through the Keystone XL pipeline would raise the U.S.’s greenhouse gas emissions by between 0.03 percent and 0.6 percent per year, or the equivalent of between 588,000 and 4 million cars, a Congressional Research Service report concludes: http://bit.ly/LuwzBN

SENATE PANEL TALKS ENERGY RESEARCH REPORT: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee meets today to go over a report on government involvement in energy research from the American Energy Innovation Council, a pro-energy research funding group. The report recommends a quadrennial review to identify “chokepoints,” support DOE’s innovation hubs, expand ARPA-E and create something like the proposed Clean Energy Development Administration. The report: http://bit.ly/JvnBCY. The hearing’s at 10 a.m. in Dirksen 366.

CONTINUITY OF EPA: Those of you worried that, in an emergency, it wouldn’t be clear whether EPA’s assistant administrator for international and tribal affairs or the chief financial officer is in charge of the agency — never fear. President Obama issued an updated EPA order of succession on Monday that clarifies who is in charge in the event the top officials are out of the picture. A White House aide said agencies update their orders every few years. The order: http://politico.pro/JxmH34

CATCH HIM WHILE YOU CAN: Departing ARPA-E chief Arun Majumdar is speaking about natural gas vehicles and technology today at the 18th Annual Automotive Research Center Conference in Ann Arbor, Mich.

QUICK HITS

— FERC has approved a Spectra Energy natural gas pipeline stretching through Bayonne, Jersey City and offshore Hoboken in New Jersey. Jersey Journal: http://bit.ly/Lwsc9g

— A coalition of energy efficiency groups and businesses want the Senate to vote on legislation (S. 1000) increasing energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances. Their letter: http://politico.pro/JKKNMm

— The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday that an oil pipeline company can’t condemn property for use as railroads and utilities can. AP: http://huff.to/LbkfjZ

— DOE has announced $35.4 million in support for 13 new research projects to explore safer natural gas and oil development in "ultra-deepwater settings." Details: http://1.usa.gov/MBvV4O

— Shanghai and other Chinese cities are sinking — in part because of global warming. TIME: http://ti.me/MaOfyQ

— Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling wants a new trial, citing “newly discovered evidence.” Reuters: http://reut.rs/K6aIwn

THAT’S ALL FOR ME. Have a great day.

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: Thanks to natural gas, we don’t have to choose between advancing our economy, our environment and our greater energy self-reliance for our nation. This year, the average U.S. household will see a nearly $1,000 increase in disposable income thanks to America’s vast supplies of affordable natural gas. This abundance also is making U.S. companies and American workers more competitive — creating more than 1 million U.S. manufacturing jobs by 2025. With continuous advances in drilling technology and strong state-led oversight, safe and responsible development is taking place every day across our country. That’s why America’s natural gas is smarter power today. Follow us on Twitter @ angaus **

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