Senate confirms Bodman to head Energy Department
Sam Bodman’s nomination to serve as energy secretary sailed through the Senate yesterday, despite his having little to no experience working on energy issues. Now he can get to work pushing Bush’s big energy bill through Congress, fighting for the opening of the proposed nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev., and pressing for oil and gas drilling within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A public fight over the refuge may flare up (again) as soon as next week, as the House Resources Committee is scheduled to vote on Feb. 9 on whether to open the area to resource extraction. Still no word on Bush’s pick to fill another key environment-related role in his administration, head of the U.S. EPA.
