OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Energy world reshuffling in Baucus’s wake

MUSICAL CHAIRS: With the confirmation of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) to be ambassador to China on Thursday, Senate committees will begin a reshuffling of the upper brass.

With Baucus out as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will take the helm, which opens up the top post on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

{mosads}This ushers in what could be a new style of leadership from Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who will take Wyden’s seat as the chairwoman of the committee.

Landrieu and ranking member Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) tend to find themselves on the same side of energy battles in Congress. Two big ones to watch out for: Keystone XL and crude oil exports.

The two will likely be an energy power duo to watch.

Speaking of comings and goings … The White House named Mike Boots acting director of its Council on Environmental Quality on Thursday, as current head Nancy Sutley heads for the exit.

Boots will start his new post on Feb. 18.

ON TAP FRIDAY: The Sierra Club and labor leaders will release a report that lays out strategy for workers as the nation transitions to clean energy.

The debate over whether pushing clean energy and climate issues helps or hurts the economy continues to be a long-running one between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

The United Steelworkers, United Mobile Workers and Utility Workers Union of America are among those joining Sierra Club on the report.

Also on Friday… The Woodrow Wilson Center will host a discussion on U.S. energy independence.

AROUND THE WEB:

The New York Times takes a look at the Environmental Protection Agency’s struggle to craft its carbon pollution rule for new power plants, which is bound to be a key part in President Obama’s climate legacy.

If the agency is successful, the Times writes, the regulation could be the “most significant action taken by the United States to curb climate change.”

The Houston Chronicle reports 29 Keystone XL protesters were cited for blocking entrances to the Federal Building on Thursday.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out the stories that ran on E2-Wire on Thursday …

– GOP bill would outlaw EPA’s ‘secret science’
– Senate Dems press for study on crude exports
– Meet Obama’s new go-to guy on climate change
– Larsen praises oil company for modernizing crude rail cars
– Waxman: Time to change tactics on climate 

Please send tips and comments to Laura Barron-Lopez, laurab@digital-release.thehill.com.