Personnel shifts, program restarts, and policy crackdowns — Washington’s summer energy stories carry big consequences for the wires. The White House handed a Democrat the FERC gavel (for now), DOT dusted off its EV charging fund with stripped-down rules, and the Interior Department is aiming its bird laws squarely at wind. The throughline: the grid remains the arena where policy, politics, and megawatts collide.

White House Names Rosner to Lead FERC

David Rosner, a Democrat, has been tapped to chair the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He’s a policy wonk with DOE and Senate staff experience, known for consensus-driven decision-making. His stated priorities: reliability, affordability, and support for gas and transmission buildout.

But don’t expect him to keep the gavel for long. Once Trump’s two pending Republican nominees — Laura Swett and David LaCerte — clear Senate confirmation, insiders expect the administration to swap Rosner out for a GOP chair. Until then, Rosner presides over a three-member quorum navigating a heavy docket with looming conflicts of interest and big-ticket transmission cases.

DOT Relaunches EV Charging Fund With Slimmed Guidance

After months of freeze and litigation, DOT has revived the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he still doesn’t like subsidizing “green energy,” but pledged to run the program “efficiently.”

The reboot trims guidance: fewer siting rules, no requirements on grid integration or resilience, and far greater state flexibility. EV advocates welcomed the regulatory certainty, but the Sierra Club blasted the move as little more than delay — billions are still being withheld. For utilities and grid operators, the real question is whether this looser framework accelerates chargers in a way that meaningfully shapes load growth or just leaves more stranded plugs.

Interior Targets Wind Developers Using Bird Law

The Fish and Wildlife Service has begun sending letters to wind developers demanding detailed eagle mortality records under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Non-compliance could bring six-figure fines and even criminal charges.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum framed the crackdown as defending the national bird against “unreliable wind facilities.” Developers say they already comply with permitting rules and point out eagle populations have grown in the past two decades, while oil pits still kill more birds than turbines. For renewables developers, the broader concern is clear: wildlife laws are being turned into a blunt instrument against zero-carbon generation, with chilling effects on financing and project timelines.

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