Obama nominates nuclear and defense official as deputy energy secretary

New York Times : On Tuesday, President Obama nominated Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall to replace Daniel Poneman as deputy secretary of energy—the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) number two position. Sherwood-Randall currently serves on the National Security Council, where she has used her expertise in nuclear proliferation and defense policy to lead the effort to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons. If approved by Congress, she will oversee the maintenance and reorganization of the country’s nuclear weapons programs and nuclear research laboratories. She will also be involved in the DOE’s creation of policies for shale oil and gas fracking.