Obama confirms energy and environment team: Chu as Energy Secretary; Jackson to EPA; Browner as policy chief; Sutley to head environmental council

In Washington, President-elect Barack Obama formally nominated Nobel Laureate Dr. Steven Chu as Secretary of Energy. Chu is one of the country’s most distinguished scientists and shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics.  He has been the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory since August 2004.

Dr. Chu is the author of ‘Lighting the Way: Toward A Sustainable Energy Future’, published by 13 National Science Academies, outlining a plan to avert a looming energy crisis. The plan calls for implementation of biofuels and carbon-negative bioenergy, and for the energy needs of the world’s 2 billion poorest people to be considered first. Dr. Chu was profiled in Biofuels Digest last February.

He was instrumental in forging the partnership between Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, Sandia National Laboratories, the University of California-Davis, and the Carnegie Institution of Science,  that resulted in the formation of the Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI).

President-elect Obama also named the other members of the energy and environment team yesterday. As EPA Administrator, he nominated  Lisa Jackson as EPA administrator. Jackson, who served 20 years at EPA and was formerly New Jersey’s environmental protection commissioner before becoming New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s chief of staff. Los Angeles deputy mayor Nancy Sutley was named to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, while Carol Browner was chosen to head a new White House coordinating council on energy, climate and environmental policy. Browner is a former EPA administrator.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Obama “Dream Green Team” tackles Herculean task of addressing jobs, climate change, energy independence

In Washington, the Huffington Post and Reuters have published articles on the efforts of the Obama "Dream Green Team" to establish a strong climate change and alternative energy agenda. The Huffington...

The Top 10 Biofuels Stories of 2008: #4, Obama’s election and the Green Dream Team

With the election of ethanol supporter Barack Obama over ethanol foe John McCain, biofuels supporters drew a breath of relief. The appointment of biofuels subsidy author Tom Daschle to the cabinet was...

Nobel Laureate Steve Chu slated to head US DOE; Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator

In Washington, news outlets are reporting that Nobel Laureate Dr. Steven Chu will be appointed Secretary of Energy by President-elect Barack Obama. Chu is one of the country's most distinguished scien...

Chu, Jackson to face Senate in confirmation hearings; speculation grows on DOE Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary slots

In Washington, confirmation hearings begin next Tuesday for Energy Secretary-designate Dr. Steven  Chu, and for Lisa Jackson, president-elect Obama's nominee to head the EPA. Meanwhile, speculatio...

Centrist approach seen for Obama energy and environment team

In Washington, Capital Press reported on the "centrist" approach that President-elect Obama is taking towards his environmental and energy team appointments. While Lisa Jackson, nominated as EPA admin...

Sen. Webb of Virginia leads gang of 20 in call for more research of E12, E15 before EPA OK

In Washington, a group of 20 US Senators led by Jim Webb of Virginia wrote to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, DOE Secretary Chu, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and White House energy policy chief Carol...