Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday appointed Janine Benner as director of the Oregon Department of Energy, subject to Senate confirmation.

Benner, 40, has been the agency's interim director since stepping in for Michael Kaplan, who in October announced plans to move to the Oregon Treasury as chief operating officer.

"Janine is an innovative leader with a wealth of experience in management, energy policy, and climate change," Brown said. "Her background and expertise will well serve the agency and further our ongoing efforts to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions in Oregon while keeping energy reliable and affordable."

A graduate of Grant High School in Portland, Benner previously worked for 16 years in Washingtopn D.C., including four years managing the U.S. Department of Energy's interactions with Congress. Before that she was an aide to U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, for more a decade, most recently as his deputy chief of staff. Her work with Blumenauer included advising him on energy, climate change, renewable energy and transportation issues.

Benner is the sixth director in the past eight years at the agency, which has been plagued by public scandals, staff turnover and lawsuits over its budget. The Legislature briefly considered disbanding the department and parceling out its responsibilities to other agencies. But a bipartisan committee formed in 2016 to evaluate the agency was unable to reach consensus on any recommendations for a restructuring. It left the agency's energy policy, energy facility siting, and emergency preparedness roles intact while allowing most of its incentive programs to sunset.

One question looming for the agency is what role it will play in climate change policy. The Legislature will consider a new carbon pricing plan in the upcoming 2018 session, a bill that would ultimately raise many multiples of the $1 billion that flowed through the Energy Department's scandalized Business Energy Tax Credit program during the past decade. A variety of stakeholders and lawmakers are reluctant to see the Energy Department with any role managing that program if the bill passes.

-Ted Sickinger

503-221-8505; @tedsickinger

Correction: Janine Benner is the agency's sixth director in eight years, not seven, as a pervious version of this article said. The article has also been updated to reflect her energy policy experience while working with Rep. Earl Blumenauer.