"If confirmed, Dominguez would take over an underfunded, understaffed and beleaguered agency that has faced criticism of cozy ties with industry."

"The nomination of Marie Therese Dominguez, President Obama's pick to lead the federal agency that oversees pipelines, was greeted with surprise and uncertainty by pipeline safety experts.

Carl Weimer, executive director of the watchdog group Pipeline Safety Trust, said he hadn't heard of Dominguez before the nomination, and knew nothing about her track record in the pipeline sector. Weimer said he would reserve judgement until after her confirmation, and said he hoped she would speed the passage of several pipeline safety rules currently lingering in regulatory limbo.

Richard Kuprewicz, a pipeline safety expert with 40 years' experience, also called Dominguez an 'unknown.' Kuprewicz is the president of Accufacts, a consulting firm based in Redmond, Washington."

Lisa Song reports for InsideClimate News June 2, 2015. [2]