Senate panel clears energy, climate nominees

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Tuesday evening approved President Obama’s nominees to run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and advise the White House on energy.

The panel cleared Kathryn Sullivan to run NOAA, which has a major climate monitoring and research role, and she will also be under secretary for oceans and atmosphere at the Commerce Department, NOAA’s parent agency.

{mosads}Sullivan, who has a doctorate in geology, has already been leading NOAA in an acting capacity.

The committee also approved Robert Simon, a longtime Senate Democratic aide, to be the associate director for environment and energy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Simon is the former Democratic staff director on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.