Governor Paul R. LePage announced yesterday that Carlisle McLean has been nominated as Commissioner of the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC). If confirmed by the Legislature, McLean would fill the position vacated by Commissioner Thomas Welch and join current Commissioners David Littell and Mark Vannoy. Commissioner Welch, who was the Chair of the MPUC, retired early from his second term on the MPUC at the end of 2014. Upon Chairman Welch’s retirement, the Governor named Commissioner Vannoy as MPUC Chairman.

Carlisle McLean has served in the Office of the Governor as Chief Counsel since 2013 and has previously served as the Governor’s General Counsel and Senior Natural Resources Policy Advisor. Prior to joining the Office of the Governor, McLean practiced for six years with a law firm in Portland, Maine, focusing on environmental and land use law.

McLean will appear before the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology in the upcoming weeks. A date has not yet been scheduled.