SACRAMENTO /California Newswire/ — The Governor yesterday announced the appointment of Anthony Eggert and Robert Weisenmiller to the California Energy Commission and expressed his sincere gratitude to internationally renowned Commissioner Art Rosenfeld for his dedicated service on his last day serving on the California Energy Commission.

“The Energy Commission plays a vital role in helping meet the aggressive environmental goals my Administration is committed to achieving, through streamlining the permitting of renewable energy projects to help break ground quicker and create jobs while maximizing the billions of dollars in federal treasury grant funds for renewable energy projects,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Both Anthony and Robert are the best, most qualified individuals to serve this purpose on the commission. They have the necessary experience and knowhow to push our energy policies forward and I am confident that their service will help California take another step on the path toward meeting our goal of 33 percent renewable energy by 2020.”

Eggert, 37, of Davis, has served as science and technology policy advisor to the chair of the California Air Resources Board since 2007. Prior to that, he served as advisor on energy and climate policy to the Office of Federal Governmental Relations for the University of California, Office of the President in 2007 and associate research director for the University of California, Davis Institute of Transportation Studies from 2002 to 2006. Eggert served the Ford Motor Company as manager of the California Fuel Cell Partnership from 2001 to 2002 and project engineer of Vehicle Environmental Engineering from 1996 to 1999. Eggert earned a Master of Science degree in transportation technology and policy from the University of California, Davis and a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Eggert is registered decline-to-state.

Weisenmiller, 61, of Berkeley, has been principal and co-founder of the energy consulting company MRW and Associates since 1986. Prior to that, he served as co-founder and executive vice-president of Independent Power Corporation from 1982 to 1986. Weisenmiller previously served the California Energy Commission as director of policy and program evaluation from 1980 to 1982, special projects officer from 1978 to 1980 and assistant to the commissioner from 1977 to 1978. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in chemistry and a Master of Science degree in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Providence College. Weisenmiller is registered decline-to-state.

These positions require Senate confirmation and the compensation for each position is $128,109.

Also, the Governor today thanked Art Rosenfeld for his dedicated service.

“Art’s legendary contributions to the fields of particle physics and energy efficiency have helped keep California at the forefront of scientific innovation and we are lucky to have had someone so talented and honorable serve on the commission for the last decade,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “As an energy commissioner, he has brought unparalleled expertise to the commission while working with policymakers at all levels of government to develop a more coherent policy on efficiency and guarantee a more reliable electricity future for California.”

In October, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to expedite the permitting process for renewable energy projects in California and appointed a special advisor to oversee the permitting process for renewable energy facilities. California was the first state to sign an MOU with the Department of the Interior to cooperatively develop long-term renewable energy plans and to usher eligible projects through state and federal permitting processes that can receive 30 percent federal tax credits under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (Recovery Act).

Of the almost 240 proposed projects, 48 have indicated they will apply for Recovery Act funds and will break ground by the end of 2010. For those proposed projects looking for federal stimulus support, 22 could generate power at utility-sized levels of larger than 200 megawatts (MW), totaling more than 9,000 MW. A vast majority of the proposed projects are currently moving through a state, federal or local permitting process.

ABOUT THE EDITOR: Valerie Gotten (aka Valerie G) is an abstract painter, former movie stand-in, and volunteers for "green events" to help raise awareness about global warming, and help preserve California's wilderness and natural beauty.

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