The Senate yesterday confirmed two Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominees, bringing the Commission back to its full five-member operating status. The nominees, Steven Burns and Jeffrey Baran, moved quickly to an approval vote, a process that has come to a standstill for most other nominees. The vote fell mostly along party lines, but Republican Sens. James Inhofe (Okla.) and Dean Heller (Nev.) joined the Democrats for both votes while Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Deb Fischer (Neb.) only voted for Burns, making the vote tally 60-40 for Burns and 56-44 for Baran. Burns previously worked for the NRC, rising to General Counsel under then-Chairman Gregory Jaczko, but left in 2012 for a position with the Nuclear Energy Agency. Baran served as an aide to House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) while also serving as Democratic staff director for the Energy and Environment Subcommittee.
The NRC and the Nuclear Energy Institute praised the Senate for moving quickly on the decision and returning the Commission to its full five members. “We look forward to having a full Commission once again,” NRC spokesman David McIntyre said. NEI President and CEO Marvin Fertel added in a statement: “The safe performance of nuclear energy facilities and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s credibility are the two most important factors for policymaker and public confidence in nuclear energy. Jeff Baran and Stephen Burns join a commission that, under the leadership of Chairman Allison Macfarlane, is addressing the key policy matters before it with a committed spirit of collegiality. My colleagues and I in the industry look forward to working with the new commissioners and their colleagues for the betterment of our nation.”
