Bode leaving Corporation Commission for new role

By John Greiner
Capitol Bureau

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode said Friday she will resign from office May 31 to head a natural gas education foundation she is organizing.

Bode, a Republican who has nearly four years left on her current six-year term, was appointed to the commission in 1997 by then Gov. Frank Keating to replace Commissioner Cody Graves, who had resigned.

Gov. Brad Henry will pick a successor to Bode. The successor will have to run in 2008 for the remainder of the term.

Bode said her decision to step down is the "culmination of a long-held vision” that will lead her to the top post of the new foundation.

"Today, there is an incredibly important debate going on on climate change and energy. We see policy makers promoting alternative fuels such as wind, solar, bio-fuels and nuclear,” Bode said. "They are all legitimate alternatives but some more so than others.”

None can offer the great abundance of supply at a reasonable price anytime soon, she said.

On the other hand, burning natural gas instead of the principal alternatives reduces greenhouse gas emissions, she said.

"We intend to make natural gas not only part of the debate but the solution,” she said.

The foundation will be called the American Clean Skies Foundation.

"I am determined to aggressively advocate for Oklahoma's number one industry at the national level,” she said.

Natural Gas contributed $812 million to the Oklahoma budget in 2006 through gross production tax, she said.

"Frankly, I cannot think of a more important way or place that I could be in order to ensure the future of Oklahoma jobs and Oklahoma business and to advocate and promote and protect our state's most important resource, natural gas,” Bode said.

She already has talked with Henry and given him a letter stating her intention to resign.

"I appreciate Commissioner Bode's many years of public service and her great work for the state of Oklahoma,” Henry said. "I look forward to working with her in her new role and wish her the best. I will move expeditiously to appoint a successor to the corporation commission when Denise steps down next month.”

She's been talking to the public, the industry and the folks in the consumer group community about the concerns she has over where the nation is going on cleaner air and what can be done to use resources we have in American, she said.

She said she's talked with people in the natural gas industry, including Chesapeake Energy Corp. of Oklahoma City.

But she noted that the education foundation will not be a Chesapeake entity.

Born in Tulsa and reared in Bartlesville, Bode was president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) in Washington before returning to Oklahoma to become a corporation commissioner.

She also worked in Washington for then-U.S. Sen. David Boren before he left office to become president of the University of Oklahoma.

Bode and her husband, John, have been married 30 years. Their 24-year-old son, Sean, accompanied her to the news conference Friday where she announced her plans.

Corporation Commission Chairman Jeff Cloud said Bode brought a unique perspective and energy to bear on issues before the commission.

Commissioner Bob Anthony said Bode brought dedication and a strong work ethic to her service at the commission.

Bode ran unsuccessfully for attorney general and Congress during the past 10 years.

She said the education foundation's focus probably will be in Washington.