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Susan Ackerman
Susan Ackerman was the chair of the Oregon Public Utility Commission. She was first appointed to the commission on March 1, 2010 by then-Governor Ted Kulongoski and was appointed chair on June 15, 2012. She retired on May 20, 2016.
Ackerman's term expired on March 13, 2016. She had filed an application for re-appointment with Gov. Kate Brown; however, she announced on March 18, 2016 that she would not seek reappointment and stepped down from the commission on May 20, 2016.[1][2][3]
Biography
An attorney by trade, Ackerman practiced law with an emphasis in electricity and natural gas regulatory matters, including electric and natural gas rate cases, pipeline and wholesale power rate cases, transmission matters and contracts, wholesale power sales and contracts, natural gas contracting, competitive procurement, and integrated resource planning.[4]
Political career
Oregon Public Utility Commission (2010-2016)
Ackerman served as a member of the Oregon Public Utility Commission from March 2010 until May 20, 2016. She served as chair from June 15, 2012 until her retirement.[2] On March 18, 2016, Ackerman announced she would resign from the commission on May 20.[3]
Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Bill
In early 2016, reports surfaced in local news outlets of conflict between the commission, led by Ackerman, and the governor's office. The reports alleged that Gov. Kate Brown (D) had excluded the commission from the development of the Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Bill, passed by the state legislature on March 3, 2016. The bill provides for the complete elimination of coal-burning power plants in the state and would double the use of renewable energy by 2035.[5] Oregon is the first state in the U.S. to introduce such legislation.[3]
In a legislative hearing on February 22, Ackerman denied the allegations but confirmed that the bill's provisions “are not the ones the Commission would have preferred. We believe that there are policies that are more effective for the environment and for consumers.”[3]
A spokesman for the commission denied any connection between the legislation and Ackerman's decision to withdraw her application for re-appointment.[3]
Appointments
2012
Ackerman was re-appointed to the Oregon Public Utility Commission in 2012 for a term from March 13, 2012 to March 13, 2016. She was appointed Chair on June 15, 2012.[2] On March 18, 2016, Ackerman announced she would not seek re-appointment and would step down from the commission on May 20, 2016.[3] State law allows her to serve past her term's expiration until a new commissioner is appointed.
2010
Ackerman was appointed to the Oregon Public Utility Commission by Gov. Ted Kulongoski in January 2010 to a term from March 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012.[6]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Susan Ackerman Oregon. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ [State law permits her to serve past her term's expiration until a new commissioner is appointed
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Public Utility Commission, "Commissioner Susan Ackerman," accessed February 5, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Oregon’s Top Utility Regulator Resigns," March 18, 2016
- ↑ Oregon.gov, "Governor Kitzhaber names Susan Ackerman chair of the Oregon Public Utility Commission," June 15, 2012
- ↑ Oregon Live, "Anti-coal power bill sees changes in Oregon Senate, February 22, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Live, "Kulongoski adds Susan Ackerman to utilities commission, reappoints John Savage," January 5, 2010
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| Preceded by - |
Oregon Public Utility Commission 2010-2016 |
Succeeded by Lisa Hardie |
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