Friday Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns appointed Douglas L. Faulkner to serve as deputy under secretary for rural development. "Renewable fuels are a vital component of America's energy independence and an important financial opportunity for of our nation's farmers," says Johanns. "Doug Faulkner brings an impressive background in the energy field to USDA and will help us achieve our goal of advancing the development of renewable fuels technology." Faulkner currently serves as principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy and has had a long association with USDA, working closely with the department to promote energy development in the areas of biomass, solar, hydrogen and efficiencies. The has served as a senior policy advisor to two secretaries of energy and earlier this year received the secretary of energy's award for excellence. His first job in Washington, D.C. was as an aide to the late Edward Madigan, a former Illinois congressman and secretary of agriculture. Faulkner will work closely with Under Secretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr to coordinate the activities of the USDA Energy Council that Johanns announced last December. The energy council coordinates energy strategy and supports the development, production and use of renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, through an array of USDA research, loan and grant programs.A resident of Virginia, Faulkner holds an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; attended the University of Singapore as a Rotary Scholar and holds a B.A. in Asian Studies from the University of Illinois.
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