CARSON CITY - Tom Husted, chief executive officer of Valley Electric Association, was appointed to the Renewable Energy Transmission Access Advisory Committee to represent rural electrical providers, Gov. Jim Gibbons announced Wednesday.

Husted joined the panel Thursday for the second meeting of its second phase, which is charged with reviewing the economic and environmental feasibility of constructing the critical electrical transmission corridors the board identified during its first phase.

The VEA territory is where a dozen of the roughly two dozen renewable energy projects have been proposed in the state. The hookup to transmission lines is seen as a crucial factor to the possible burgeoning industry in Nye County.

In serving on the committee, Husted will represent 11 rural Nevada electric cooperatives and four municipal electric service utilities.

"I'm honored the governor has appointed me to this important committee," Husted said. "I will do my best to represent the cooperatives and utilities that serve the rural communities of Nevada as this committee moves forward with more recommendations for the Governor."

Prominent members of the board include Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki; Daniel Schochet, formerly with Ormat, a geothermal producer; George Caan, executive director of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada; and Alan Coyner, administrator of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.