Abraham picked to be chief of energy:  Ex-Michigan senator is a surprise selection
                            
BY CHRIS CHRISTOFF and KATHLEEN GRAY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

January 3, 2001

Defeated U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham's nomination Tuesday to lead the U.S. Department of Energy -- an agency he tried to abolish -- surprised even his supporters and drew warnings from environmentalists who labeled him a friend of polluters. Abraham was considered a top contender for transportation secretary -- a job many viewed as a natural for a senator from Michigan, birthplace of the auto industry and modern highways. But that job went to Norman Mineta, a Democrat and commerce secretary to President Bill Clinton.

Instead, President-elect George W. Bush tapped Abraham to lead an agency bedeviled by nuclear waste disposal, oil and gas supply questions, security of defense-related nuclear research and the crisis of California's deregulated electric power industry.  Energy industry spokesmen praised Abraham as a smart choice for Bush's cabinet. But critics said the only experience Abraham has in energy matters is campaign contributions he has received from auto companies and large energy producers that have fought cleaner air standards.  They noted that Abraham voted twice in the Senate to abolish the Energy Department.

The cabinet nomination is a coveted consolation prize after his failed re-election campaign. He lost a close race  to U.S. Rep. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Lansing who is to be sworn in today.  Abraham joined Bush on Tuesday in calling for more domestic petroleum exploration.  "We have vast resources within the United States, and these are crucial to our country's security," Abraham said. "We can make good use of them, while at the same time, I believe, meeting our responsibilities as good stewards for the land, the air and the water."

 The Energy Department is less a federal regulatory arm like the Environmental  Protection Agency, and more a research and advisory division that can guide policy decisions through thickets of technical matters.  Gov. John Engler, who earlier called Abraham's loss a disappointment, praised his longtime friend as someone who will help build a coherent national energy policy.  Gushing praise came from Michigan Republican Party Chairman Rusty Hills, who called Abraham "one of the brightest, most creative individuals I know," with an acute understanding of the relationship between energy policies and the auto industry.

Yet for energy issues, Abraham is an unknown quantity to some in Washington. He has been more active in immigration and computer industry issues.  A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, chairman of the U.S. House subcommittee on energy issues, said he is not familiar with Abraham. Barton, R-Texas, had recommended to Bush's  transition team Henson Moore, a former deputy secretary of energy.  Anthony Earley Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of DTE Energy, parent company of Detroit Edison, said Abraham has experience with energy issues, particularly deregulation of electric power.  "We believe that his nomination and appointment will be good for DTE Energy and for the energy industry and users throughout the country," Earley said.

The appointment was also seen as a positive step for business.  "He's close to Michigan and has been a champion for small business," said Robert Stempel, chairman of Energy Conversion Devices Inc. of Troy and former chairman of General Motors.

The environmental community, however, was not as enthusiastic. Dave Dempsey, policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council, said that if Abraham "awakens to the new realities of energy efficiency, there may be some hope. But he's been a consistent foe of even marginal increases in fuel efficiency standards for automobiles."

Some Arab Americans -- who view Abraham, the grandson of Lebanese immigrants, as an ethnic brother with clout -- were excited about the nomination.  "I've been getting a lot of phone calls from the community about it," said Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab-American News and a member of the Dearborn-based Arab-American Political Action Committee, which endorsed Bush and Abraham.

Contact CHRIS CHRISTOFF at 517-372-8660 or christoff@freepress.com.

Staff writer Niraj Warikoo and the Associated Press contributed to this report.