Public Service Commission
PSC Vice Chairman Gardner Tapped for Energy Role - Will help lead national utility regulator panel on energy and environment

       Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) Vice Chairman Jim Gardner has been named to a leadership role on a national board analyzing energy resource issues.
       Gardner will serve as a co-vice chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment (ERE). NARUC is the national association representing the state public service commissioners who regulate essential utility services such as energy, water and telecommunications.
       The ERE committee serves as a venue for state regulators to discuss ways to provide utility customers with affordable and environmentally sustainable energy services. It has a particular focus on energy efficiency; renewable resources such as biomass; innovative technologies including clean coal; distributed generation; consumer protection, and low-income weatherization and assistance.
       The committee works with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including environmental groups, federal agencies, utility executives, and consumer advocates.
       NARUC President David Coen of Vermont selected Gardner for the post.
       “I am honored to appoint Commissioner Gardner to this position,” President Coen said. “He brings strong organizational skills and a unique environmental perspective that will serve this committee and our members well.”
       “I look forward to working with my colleagues as we address some of the most pressing issues facing the country,” Vice Chairman Gardner said. “Anticipated new environmental laws will dramatically change how we use, consume, and pay for electricity. This panel plays an influential role in shaping the debate and I am excited about this opportunity.”
       Governor Steve Beshear appointed Gardner as vice chairman of the PSC on June 16, 2008. His term expires on July 1, 2012.
       Gardner also serves on the NARUC Consumer Affairs Committee and co-chaired the NARUC’s Utility of the Future in a Carbon-Constrained World conference in December 2009.
       Prior to joining the PSC, Vice Chairman Gardner was a partner in the law firm Henry Watz, Gardner, & Sellers PLLC, where he specialized in bankruptcy law. He is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association. 
       The PSC is an independent agency attached for administrative purposes to the Energy and Environment Cabinet. It regulates more than 1,500 gas, water, sewer, electric and telecommunication utilities operating in Kentucky and has approximately 100 employees.