Gov. Jim Justice has named the recently retired president of the West Virginia Coal Association to be one of three commissioners making regulatory decisions about energy.
Bill Raney’s appointment to the state Public Service Commission went forward Monday, according to filings with the West Virginia Secretary of State.
He would fill a seat vacated by Brooks McCabe, a former state senator whose term expired June 30. Commissioners may begin to serve as soon as they are sworn in but would still be subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
Raney, who declined comment today, would serve alongside current PSC Chairwoman Charlotte Lane, who is a former state lawmaker and former appointee to the U.S. International Trade Commission, and Renee Larrick, former business manager for the law firm run by her husband, former state Lottery Commissioner Allen Larrick.
Commissioners serve six-year staggered terms, but the new appointment would mean all have been named by Justice, whose family has significant coal holdings. The Justice administration said the governor did not plan to comment today but would offer comments during a state briefing on Friday.
As a longtime face of the coal industry, Raney was known for his loyalty to coal and widely admired for his friendly disposition. But this role would mean a change in perspective to a regulator of essential utility services such as energy, telecommunications and water with a focus on what’s best for the ratepayers.
Charlie Burd, executive director of the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, said he believes Raney can take on that new perspective.
“Above all, we’re going to know Bill to be very fair with utilities and pipelines and those things that are important to consumers with regards to abundant low-cost energy for their homes whether that be electric or natural gas,” Burd said.
“I think in his new role we absolutely look forward to working with bill as he, the Public Service Commission and our association seek low-cost energy options for all West Virginia citizens.”
Derrick Williamson, acting executive director of the West Virginia Energy Users Group, stated that he “appreciates Mr. Raney’s willingness to serve and is optimistic that Commissioner Raney will be appreciative of the continuing challenges facing West Virginia business and industry as it relates to ever increasing electric rates.”
Emmett Pepper, policy director for Energy Efficient West Virginia, expressed concern about Raney’s longtime perspective.
“I’m deeply concerned about the lack of variety in the background of the commissioners now and how that might affect ratepayers. We now have two commissioners who have been employed by the West Virginia Coal Association — Chairman Lane as the WVCA’s counsel before the Commission and now Bill Raney, the WVCA’s former president.
“There’s nothing wrong with someone having worked for the WVCA and then being on the Commission, but we need to have a variety of viewpoints — focused on customers, too, not just industry,” Pepper said.
He asked, “Will the Commission now be more willing to favor coal companies at the expense of ratepayers? I hope not. West Virginians’ electric bills have increased by 150 percent over the past 15 years and I worry we won’t reverse that trend if we keep ratcheting up rates more and more to pay for costly coal-fired power plants.”
Raney led the West Virginia Coal Association for 28 years as president and chief executive. Raney earlier served as the vice president of the West Virginia Mining and Reclamation Association until he joined the West Virginia Coal Association in 1992. The two organizations merged in 2000.
He announced his retirement at the end of last year.
Raney’s coal industry career started in 1970 when he worked as a surface mine inspector in the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Reclamation. He was later promoted to assistant chief.