Pallone Blasts Trump’s Demotion of FERC Chairman Chatterjee

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statement regarding President Trump's surprise demotion of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Neil Chatterjee:

"This is an outrageous attack on an independent agency at a time of transition. While I certainly had my disagreements with Chairman Chatterjee over major policy issues like the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) reform and infrastructure permitting, he led the Commission with distinction. His sudden removal as Chairman for merely starting a dialogue on markets and climate change, while working across the aisle to preserve state prerogatives on distributed generation, is as petty as it is wrong.

"Most importantly, President Trump took the extraordinary step of installing in the chairmanship a commissioner with little experience in the energy industry and views far outside the mainstream of both parties on energy policy. Taking this action as he continues to fall behind in electoral college votes is wholly inappropriate. Clearly, FERC needs to stop work immediately on all major controversial activities until a new president is sworn in.

"I want to offer my thanks to now-Commissioner Chatterjee for his service and for always being willing to engage with me and other Members of Congress regardless of party affiliation or policy views."