Tri-City Herald - Bipartisan Support for Phil Moeller
Tri-City Herald - Bipartisan Support for Phil Moeller
Editorial
Tri-City Herald
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell's support for Philip D. Moeller getting a top job at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission comes with a history.
"Throughout his career in both public service and the private sector, Phil has earned a reputation for his in-depth knowledge of complex energy policy issues and a common-sense, proactive, balanced approach to problem-solving," said Cantwell, D-Wash., a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Her endorsement isn't the interesting history, though.
It's that Moeller, who was raised in Spokane and was nominated for the post by President Bush, was for four years the top energy aide to former Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash.
And Gorton's the man Cantwell defeated in the too-close-to-call race for the Senate in 2000. Gorton led until the absentee ballots all were in, when late votes from King County gave Cantwell a 2,229 vote lead -- out of 2.4 million cast.
It was the closest race in the state that year.
So it says something about both Cantwell and Moeller that she -- along with fellow Democrat Patty Murray, D-Wash. -- supports him for his attitudes and his skills.
When Cantwell joined the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in 2001, the region was suffering through an energy crisis.
"It became clear that it was time to add a voice from our region to the commission," Cantwell said. "We have never had a FERC commissioner from the Pacific Northwest, and I am confident that Phil will be an able practitioner of the Northwest tradition of collaboration, consensus and innovation on energy issues. As a FERC commissioner, Phil will be a great asset to our region and American consumers."
There's other evidence of a bipartisan approach to energy issues. Democrats and Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, are working to block an administration proposal to raise Bonneville Power Administration power rates.
They can use a reliable ally on FERC.
And the job of making sure Northwest ratepayers gouged by Enron receive a fair settlement is in play too.
Let's hope approval of Moeller moves right along.
http://www.cantwell.com/news/article/view/?id=15