nuclear-news

Physicist Ernest Moniz of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is Obama’s top candidate to run the Energy Department, and Gina McCarthy, an aide to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, is the leading contender to head the Environmental Protection Agency, according to people familiar with the selection process.

Obama may announce their nominations as soon as this week, said the people, who asked for anonymity because the choices haven’t been formally made.

While both will pick up the broad approach laid out over the past four years, they also have a political touch analysts said will be necessary to counter longstanding criticisms from congressional Republicans and some industry lobbyists. McCarthy is assistant administrator for air pollution at the EPA, a role she held throughout Obama’s first term.

McCarthy and Moniz would round out Obama’s second-term energy and environment team as he seeks to combat the risks associated with climate change and weighs regulation of hydraulic fracturing, a drilling technique behind increasing domestic oil and natural gas production.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/carbon-economy/obama-tipped-to-pick-veterans-to-lead-climate-energy-push-20130221-2et4h.html#ixzz2LfDufMhw