President Barack Obama today nominated a geologist and nuclear waste expert with strong ties to academia to be the next head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC). The choice of Allison Macfarlane, a professor at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia, is drawing positive reviews from key
members of Congress and both supporters and critics of nuclear power.
If confirmed by the Senate, Macfarlane would replace Gregory Jaczko, a physicist and former aide to Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the Senate's Majority
Leader. Jaczko announced on 21 May that he would step down following controversy over his management style and policy positions. He had been a
controversial figure since joining the commission in 2005.
"The nuclear energy industry urges the administration to submit her confirmation paperwork as expeditiously as possible," Marvin Fertel, head of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), an industry group, said in a statement. Macfarlane "has been an active
contributor to policy debates in the nuclear energy field for many years," he added.
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