President Bush has annouced his picks for two cabinet posts that have significant impact on renewable energy policy and programs. To replace outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Ann Venemen, Bush nominated Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns last week, and to replace the current Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham, Bush annouced today that he would be nominating Samuel W. Bodman, a business executive and former professor who has served as the top deputy to the departments of treasury and commerce.

Neither of these picks seems to have a great reputation for being advocates for wind energy, but then, neither did their predecessors. However, Johanns has been a leader on renewable fuels (ethanol) and has at least been a little bit visible in support of wind in Nebraska even if nothing much was accomplished.

Read Gov. Johanns' remarks at a renewable energy workshop in 2000 and at the groundbreaking of NE's largest wind farm:
http://www.nol.org/home/NEO/neq_online/sept2002/sept2002.01a2.htm
http://www.nol.org/home/NEO/neq_online/sept2002/sept2002.01a1.htm

You can also find links to reports and policy's put forth by the Gov. Johanns' NE Wind Energy Task Force here:

http://www.nol.org/home/NEO/renew/wind-renewables.htm

From the Washington Post:
Bodman praised the administration's energy policies, saying that they promise, "affordable, reliable and secure energy supplies through conservation, investment in new technology, and finding and producing new domestic sources of energy."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54754-2004Dec10.html

Washington Post article on Johanns:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53510-2004Dec9.html