Bush to nominate Spitzer to FERC: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Bush will nominate Arizona
state regulator Marc Spitzer to serve on the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC), the White House said on Friday.

The U.S. Senate would have to confirm Spitzer, currently a
member of Arizona’s Corporation Commission, before he could
begin serving on the FERC. If confirmed, Spitzer’s term would
end on June 30, 2011, the White House said in a statement.

The Senate still must confirm the nominations of Philip
Moeller, a Republican, and Democrat Jon Wellinghoff.

Current FERC Commissioner Nora Mead Brownell, a Republican
whose term expires at the end of June, says she plans to remain
on the commission until the first week of August to allow
nominees to get confirmed.

FERC regulates interstate transmission of electricity,
natural gas and crude oil.

Spitzer was formerly a Republican state senator in Arizona,
and had been a tax attorney at KPMG Peat Marwick, the White
House said.