North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's pick to lead the state's environmental agency appears doomed in the state Senate, where Republicans on a key committee formally opposed the Democrat's choice on Wednesday.
The Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee voted not to recommend the confirmation of Dionne Delli-Gatti as secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality.
Committee Republicans criticized what they called Delli-Gatti's lack of knowledge during a confirmation hearing in April about the governor's views on natural gas expansion and a key natural gas pipeline project examined by her agency. Cooper pushed back later Wednesday and suggested opponents were trying to block environmental progress.
A rejection threatens to fray relations between Cooper and GOP Senate leader Phil Berger during a year in which both expressed optimism of finding consensus, particularly on the state budget.
The Republicans said Delli-Gatti's answers took on added significance in light of the early May , which transports most of the gasoline in the state. The Transco pipeline, meanwhile, is the lone interstate natural gas transmission line for North Carolina. Speakers from the energy industry after the cyberattack highlighted the vulnerability of natural gas supplies in the state.
鈥淭hese are urgent, fundamental problems facing North Carolina and North Carolinians right this moment,鈥� said Sen. Paul Newton, a Cabarrus County Republican and committee member. 鈥淥ur objection to Ms. Delli-Gatti isn鈥檛 over the merits of the strategy. It鈥檚 the fact that she鈥檚 unable to articulate any strategy whatsoever.鈥�
Democrats on the committee berated Republican colleagues and walked out before the panel's confirmation vote in protest. They said Delli-Gatti, who attended Wednesday's meeting, was ready to respond to their concerns more fully. A committee chairman, Sen. Chuck Edwards of Henderson County, declined to invite her to speak, saying no members had follow-up questions following the April hearing that lasted two hours.
鈥淭his is a total sham of the nomination process,鈥� said Sen. Mike Woodard, a Durham County Democrat. 鈥淪ecretary Delli-Gatti deserves a chance to respond to some of the allegations that have been made to her today.鈥�
Berger told reporters later he expected a confirmation vote by the full Senate on Thursday. While Woodard said Democrats would work until then to secure her confirmation, the likely outcome is that Delli-Gatti will be out of a job later this week. Republicans hold 28 of the 50 seats in the chamber. Berger said the Senate Republican Caucus discussed her nomination Tuesday.
鈥淭here are no mulligans in confirmation hearings,鈥� Senate Rules Committee Chairman Sen. Bill Rabon said, referring to do-over shots in golf.
Should Delli-Gatti鈥檚 nomination be rejected, it would mark the first time that a Cabinet nominee has been blocked since the legislature passed a law in late 2016 requiring Cabinet members to be subject to confirmation.
Cooper showed no signs Wednesday of withdrawing the nomination of Delli-Gatti, a veteran leader from the Environmental Defense Fund whom he named in February to succeed Michael Regan, who is now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator. She has been performing the secretary鈥檚 duties since. The governor urged senators to delay the floor vote.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 have anything to do with her knowledge or qualifications,鈥� Cooper told reporters. 鈥淪he is eminently qualified to do this job. It has everything to do on whether we鈥檙e going to have a clean energy future and whether we鈥檙e going to protect our air and water.鈥�
Republicans cited Delli-Gatti's 鈥渃ursory knowledge鈥� of the proposed Mountain Valliey Pipeline-Southgate, which would bring natural gas from southern Virginia into North Carolina for Dominion Energy. A division within DEQ reissued the denial of a water quality permit for the project a couple of days after her confirmation hearing. The project would help increase the natural gas supply.
Delli-Gatti, who became the first woman as department secretary with Cooper鈥檚 pick, told reporters Wednesday that the water permit denial originated from the department when Regan ran the agency and that the pipeline operators can reapply. She also said the federal government, not DEQ, actually decides upon pipeline permit construction.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate that we didn鈥檛 get to clarify that in the hearing,鈥� Delli-Gatti said, adding that while her rejection isn't settled, 鈥渋t was my great honor to serve this state in the capacity that I have.鈥� She previously worked at EPA and for other government agencies.
Cooper's first 15 Cabinet nominations were confirmed by wide margins since he took office in early 2017. Cooper would have to choose a replacement, who would also be subject to the confirmation process. Berger said Delli-Gatti can't be renominated.
Cooper previously challenged the 2016 law in court, saying the legislature can't interfere with how the governor carries out his duties. But the state Supreme Court sided with legislative leaders in late 2018. An "advice-and-consent" provision is contained within the state constitution.
