WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Senate on Monday confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary, a key post to promote President efforts to achieve U.S. 鈥渆nergy dominance鈥� in the global market.
has been one of the industry鈥檚 loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe and has promised to help Trump 鈥渦nleash energy security and prosperity.鈥�
The Senate approved his nomination, 59-38. Eight Democrats 鈥� including both senators from Wright's home state of Colorado 鈥� voted in favor.
The centerpiece of Trump鈥檚 energy policy is ,鈥� and he has pledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats鈥� 鈥済reen new scam鈥� in favor of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases.
鈥淧resident Trump shares my passion for energy,鈥� Wright said at his confirmation hearing last month, promising that if confirmed, he would 鈥渨ork tirelessly to implement (Trump's) bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.鈥�
That includes oil and natural gas, coal, nuclear power and hydropower, along with wind and solar power and geothermal energy, Wright said.
Trump鈥檚 energy wishes are likely to run into real-world limits, including the fact that U.S. oil production is . The federal government cannot force companies to drill for more oil, and production increases could lower prices and reduce profits.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican, called Wright an innovator who 鈥渢ells the truth about energy production."
While Wright 鈥渁cknowledges that climate change is real, he knows more American energy is the solution 鈥� not the problem,'' Barrasso said, calling Wright's 鈥渆nergy realism鈥� welcome news.
Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Wright 鈥渦nderstands that energy policies should focus on making energy abundant and affordable for families鈥� and businesses.
鈥淥ur nation deserves a champion for American energy and innovation, and we鈥檝e got the Wright guy for the job,'' Lee posted on X.
Colorado's two Democratic senators both supported their home-state nominee.
鈥淐hris Wright is a scientist who has dedicated his life to the study and use of energy. He believes in science and supports the research that will deliver the affordable, reliable and clean energy" that will lower costs and make the country more secure, Sen. John Hickenlooper said.
鈥淲hile we don鈥檛 always agree, we will work together because none of us have four years to wait to act,鈥� Hickenlooper said.
Sen. Michael Bennet called Wright a successful Colorado entrepreneur with deep expertise in energy innovation and technology. He pledged to work with Wright to 鈥渆nsure Colorado continues to lead the country in energy production and innovation.鈥�
While acknowledging that climate change is real, Wright said at his hearing that he believes 鈥渢here isn鈥檛 dirty energy or clean energy.鈥� Rather, he said, there are different sources of energy with different tradeoffs.
Wright, 60, has been chairman and CEO of Liberty Energy since 2011 and has no prior experience in government. He grew up in Colorado, earned an undergraduate degree at MIT and did graduate work in electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and MIT. In 1992, he founded , which helped launch commercial shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
He later served as chairman of Stroud Energy, an early shale gas producer, before founding Liberty Resources in 2010.
As energy secretary, Wright will join Interior Secretary as a key player on energy policy. Both will serve on a new that Burgum will chair. The panel will include all executive branch agencies involved in energy permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation and transportation, with a focus on 鈥渃utting red tape鈥� and boosting domestic energy production, Trump said. The council鈥檚 mission represents a near-complete reversal from actions pursued by Democratic President , who made fighting climate change a top priority.
Wright said he would sever all ties across the energy industry if confirmed.
Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action, an environmental group, said Democrats should have unanimously opposed Wright.
鈥淪enate Republicans just handed Trump鈥檚 Big Oil allies the keys to the Department of Energy,'' she said in a statement. 鈥淐hris Wright built his career expanding fossil fuels and denying climate science. Now, he鈥檒l be in a position to help Trump" stall clean energy investments, hike energy prices 鈥渁nd keep Americans addicted to expensive, volatile fossil fuels."
Now is the time, she added, "for Democrats to stand united and fight back against Trump鈥檚 relentless push to rig the system for Big Oil.鈥�
Matthew Daly, The Associated Press
