Through authority granted by the Legislature, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) is the state government agency responsible for regulating services provided by investor-owned natural gas, electric and telephone utilities, and rural electric cooperatives in Michigan. Other important responsibilities of the MPSC include the regulation of the intrastate for-hire trucking industry and participation in state energy emergency preparedness planning. There are three MPSC Commissioners - appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for staggered, six-year terms.