Senate energy staffer departs for Outreach Strategies

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee spokesman David Marks is stepping down, but he's not going far -- geographically or topically.

Marks will be vice president of the public affairs agency Outreach Strategies, LLC.

The agency's clients include the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of large corporations and environmental groups pushing for climate change legislation. Members include BP, Duke Energy and the Environmental Defense Fund.

"Energy, climate and sustainability issues are going to continue to be among the most important facing Washington and the world in years to come," said Outreach Strategies Partner Tad Segal, who co-founded the firm last year, in a statement. "David's wealth of experience, perspective and deep knowledge in these areas make him a perfect fit at the firm."

Marks has a B.A. in political science from Wittenberg University and an M.A. in public policy from Georgetown.

He spent five years with the Senate committee, a stretch that included 2007 passage of a sweeping energy bill -- which was signed into law -- that included provisions to phase out inefficient lightbulbs.

Last year, the committee approved a broad bill that includes a national renewable electricity mandate, expanded federal financing for low-carbon energy projects, and wider oil-and-gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The bill has yet to become law.