Committee approves OSU scientist's NOAA nomination

By the Gazette-Times

The nomination of Oregon State University scientist Jane Lubchenco to serve as head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration apparently is back on track.

Lubchenko's nomination received unanimous approval Thursday by the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Technology Committee, according to a report by the environmental news service greenwire.com that was published on the New York Times Web site.

Also receiving committee approval was President Obama's nominee to head the Office of Science and Technology Policy, John Holdren, who is a Harvard University physicist known for seeking more attention to climate change issues.

Lubchenco, one of the world's leading marine biologists and distinguished professor of zoology at OSU, is well known for championing ocean reserves and for commenting on the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change on ecosystems.

In the new position, besides giving direction to the agency, she would serve as a key scientific adviser on marine and climate issues to the secretary of commerce.

The nominations of Holdren and Lubchenco had been delayed by "holds" placed by at least one senator. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., placed a "hold" that blocked votes on confirming Holdren and Lubchenco as leverage to get Senate leaders' attention for a matter related to Cuba rather than questioning the nominees' credentials.

Web reports have indicated that other senators might subsequently have placed anonymous holds as well.

According to the Greenwire report, the two nominations are expected to pass the full Senate within the coming week.