On May 16, 2013, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Ernest Moniz as the next Secretary for the Department of Energy (“DOE”).  With a unanimous vote of 97-0, Dr. Moniz succeeds Secretary Steven Chu.  Dr. Moniz was previously the Under Secretary for DOE from 1997 until 2001, and served as a professor of Physics and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology prior to his nomination (see March 11, 2013 edition of the WER).

Also on May 16, 2013, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the next Administer of the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) with a 10-8 vote.  Ms. McCarthy’s nomination will now proceed to the Senate floor where the full Senate will vote on her nomination.  No date has been set for the vote.  Ms. McCarthy currently serves as EPA’s assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation.

A record of the vote on Dr. Moniz’s confirmation is available here.