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Senate backs 2 nominees to serve on energy panel

By WTOP Staff

MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate approved two nominees for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Tuesday under an unusual political deal in which a FERC staff member will eventually be promoted to lead the commission.

On separate votes, the Senate approved the nominations of Norman Bay and Cheryl LaFleur to serve on the five-member panel, which regulates interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil.

Bay, of New Mexico, is currently director of FERC’s enforcement office. LaFleur, of Massachusetts, has served on the panel since 2010 and has been acting chairwoman since November.

Bay’s nomination was approved 52-45, while LaFleur was approved 90-7.

President Barack Obama nominated Bay as commission chairman in January, but lawmakers objected, saying he lacked the necessary experience. Under a deal with the White House, senators agreed that LaFleur will stay on acting chairwoman for nine months before Bay takes over as chairman early next year.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was one of several Republicans who said Bay is not qualified to lead the commission.

“I fail to see what qualifies Mr. Bay to be the chairman of the commission, especially when the acting chair of FERC whom he would displace is much more qualified to hold the position,” McConnell said.

Unlike most FERC commissioners in the past decade, Bay has never served as a state utility regulator and lacks the background in policy areas that FERC is charged with overseeing, McConnell said.

By contrast, LeFleur has more than 20 years’ experience in the electric and natural gas industries and served in top roles at National Grid USA, a regional organization responsible for delivery of electricity to 3.4 million customers in the Northeast.

“I find it shameful that this administration would seek to displace a well-qualified woman in favor of a male nominee with less experience,” McConnell said.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the senior Republican on the Senate Energy Committee, also criticized Bay’s credentials and said she was concerned that Bay would have to remove himself from at least 40 cases pending before the commission. Murkowski also faulted Bay for his leadership of the enforcement office, citing concerns about fairness and transparency.

“FERC is too important a commission. It’s too important for appointments to be handled like this,” Murkowski said, citing the agency’s role in overseeing interstate natural gas and oil pipelines, as well as import and export terminals for liquefied natural gas.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., chairwoman of the Senate energy panel, said Bay had excellent credentials as director of the enforcement office for the past five years and as a former U.S. attorney for New Mexico. Two prominent Republicans, former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici — a former Energy Committee chairman — and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez have endorsed Bay, Landrieu said.

Under the agreement with the White House, Bay will essentially “train” under LaFleur’s leadership before taking over next year, Landrieu said.

White House spokesman Matt Lehrich called Bay a proven leader with expertise in the energy markets and “a tough, evenhanded approach to enforcing the law.” The White House appreciates LaFleur’s service and looks forward to continuing to work with her, Lehrich said.

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Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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