Treasurer Brad Briner Announces N.C. Utilities Commission Nomination
Raleigh, N.C.
North Carolina Treasurer Brad Briner has nominated former N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Donald van der Vaart to the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Van der Vaart is an engineer and attorney by trade, with a background in the energy and utilities sectors. He has served on the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board and the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission.
Treasurer Briner is given the authority to appoint one person to the Commission with the passage of Senate Bill 382, which became law last December.
“North Carolinians need a strong voice on the North Carolina Utilities Commission,” said Treasurer Briner. “Don provides that voice, and his expertise and leadership will ensure that the citizens of North Carolina have access to low-cost, reliable energy.”
Van der Vaart is most recently the Chief Judge and Director of the Office of Administrative Hearings at the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings.
“I am deeply honored by Treasurer Briner’s confidence in me,” said van der Vaart. “I look forward to working to ensure that North Carolina’s energy future remains reliable, affordable, and ever cleaner—safeguarding both our prosperity and our environment."
The North Carolina Utilities Commission is an agency which regulates the rates and services of all investor-owned public utilities in our state. This includes companies that provide electricity (including electricity resellers), telephone service (including payphone service and shared tenant service), natural gas (including gas resellers), water (including water resellers), wastewater, household goods movers, buses, brokers, and ferryboats.
The nomination to the Commission needs joint approval by both the state House of Representatives and Senate. A letter was sent to leadership this morning.
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