Obama picks John Bryson to be next secretary of Commerce

President Obama will nominate John Bryson, former chairman and CEO of Edison International, to be his new Commerce secretary, the White House said Tuesday.

Bryson is also former president of the California Public Utilities Commission and a former chairman of the California State Water Resources Control Board. He co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council, a leading environmental advocacy group.

If confirmed by the Senate, Bryson would succeed Gary Locke, who was nominated in March to be the new ambassador to China.

Obama plans a formal announcement from the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday afternoon.

michael.memoli@latimes.com

peter.nicholas@latimes.com