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U.S. Secretary of Energy, Samuel W. Bodman, has selected South Carolina Public Service Commissioner G. O’Neal Hamilton to serve on the National Petroleum Council.  His two-year term is effective immediately, and he will represent the views of states in public policy decision making.

Established in 1946, the National Petroleum Council advises the Secretary of Energy on issues affecting the oil and natural gas industries.   Commissioner Hamilton is one of 175 members chosen to represent all segments of the oil and gas industries, including representatives from oil and gas companies and their interrelated entities, and academic, financial, research, Native American, and public interest organizations and institutions. 

Commissioner Hamilton said of the appointment: “I look forward to the opportunity to present our state’s views on oil and gas issues in Washington.  The high gas prices we pay every day remind us of how important it is for our state to be involved in the nation’s energy planning process.”

A member of the Commission since 2004, Commissioner Hamilton represents the 5th Congressional District and resides in Bennettsville.  In addition to his Commission duties, Commissioner Hamilton also serves as Chairman of the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC) Committee on Gas.  He served as Chairman of the Public Service Commission from July 2006 to July 2008.