OMAHA, Neb.—Nebraska will soon have a newly elevated Office of Energy.
Gov. Dave Heineman announced Wednesday that he was raising the Office of Energy to a Cabinet-level position.
He appointed Neil Moseman as its director. Moseman, 47, is assistant director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. He will assume his new post on July 1.
“Increasing energy costs really affects, across the board, our economy, our daily lives,” Moseman said Wednesday.
He said he hopes his new position will help raise awareness about energy conservation and production of renewable fuels.
The Energy office has been a Nebraska fixture since 1977 and, since 1991, has operated as a division of the governor’s office.
The Energy office will become a separate state agency with its director a member of the governor’s Cabinet.
Said Heineman: “A Cabinet-level Nebraska Energy Office presents an opportunity to take our energy efforts to the next level.”
Among other duties, the agency advises state leaders on energy policy, manages programs and oversees dispersal of federal Department of Energy grants.
Moseman said Nebraska is ahead of the curve in terms of renewable energy and has wide support for further development.
“Better conservation, continued research and stronger partnerships will be key to maintaining our edge and helping define an energy policy for the 21st century for our state and nation,” he said in a press release from the governor’s office.
Moseman earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics in 1983 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and went on to serve four years in the U.S. Navy. He now lives in Omaha with his wife and two young sons.
Moseman’s salary will be $85,000.
———
Associated Press writer Timberly Ross contributed to this report.
