Even with some tense questions on future fossil fuel development policy and past statements on climate change impacts during U.S. Senate hearings of top Trump Administration energy and environment cabinet post nominees, the three candidates seem headed for confirmation following mostly cordial exchanges on Jan. 15-16.  

Appearing before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee were Chris Wright, CEO of Denver-based energy company Liberty Energy who is tapped to lead the U.S. Energy Dept., and former North Dakota Gov. Douglas Burgum, nominee for U.S. Interior Dept. chief and to possibly lead a new administration entity called the National Energy Council; also Lee Zeldin, a former U.S. lawmaker from New York separately testified before the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Wright, who has a mechanical engineering BS degree from MIT and described himself as a “science geek turned tech nerd,” now heads a firm that works primarily in oil and gas development but said in his statement that it also has geothermal projects and “partnerships in next-generation nuclear energy and new battery technology.”

Starting with a partisan tiff over some committee Democrats’ claim of late delivery of Wright’s background documents to review—newly elected West Virginia Republican Jim Justice noted the need to “embrace all energy forms … but you’re living in a cave if you think we can can live without fossil fuels.”  He pointedly asked Wright if DOE would support “all forms” of energy.  Wright concurred, agreeing to continued LNG development, including a potential new east coast gas export terminal near Philadelphia, but also noted concern for potential U.S. gas market price impact of continued exports. He also responded that support for carbon capture research to be used in oil recovery would be a “resounding yes!”

In response to a request from Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) to “refocus DOE on baseload power sources,” Wright said it “wlll be a top priority,”  with “energy innovation” as “the only pathway” to reduce carbon emissions. 

While noting past research at MIT on nuclear fusion development, Wright acknowledged fossil fuel demand growth, but “it’s proven very hard to displace hydrocarbons globally,” noting continued strong reliance in developing economies.

Wright emphasized energy’s key role in the U.S. economy but also said he was “in alignment” with ranking committee New Mexico Democrat Martin Heimlich when pressed on his commitment to expansion of US transmission, much of that now related to connecting the booming number of domestic solar and wind energy projects. But he demurred in responding to Sen. Catherine Cortes Masto (D-Nev.) related to building the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste disposal site in the state, much opposed by residents. Wright said he “will work to find long term disposal strategies” but it was “too early to give specifics.”

Related to nuclear energy development, Wright noted “comfort with nuclear safety,” contending the energy source makes up “20% of US power today.” He said development of smaller modular reactors “can get the cost barrier out of the way.”

Responding to committee concern about growing China nuclear development, Wright said the “US invented nuclear power technology,” but acknowledged that if the “US does not move quickly others will fill the space.” He called for building “more US uranium infrastructure,” but also said he “needed to better understand” the state of DOE research security in responding to a concern by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) to insure that agency labs “are not compromised by [researchers] from other countries like Russia and China.”

In a sharp exchange with California Senate Democrat Alex Padilla over Wright’s comments and social media postings that scientist claims of greater links between the state’s wildfire burst this year and climate change was “hype,” the nominee said he “stands by” my past comments,” but he will “commit to publishing more non classified DOE studies on the subject.  

Wright also committed to open more Alaska energy resources, including oil, gas and critical minerals, to development. The state is “a microcosm for the entire world, with a lot of resources next to remote areas with little access to it,” he said, seeing more agency emphasis also in geothermal energy development. The nominee also said he would support a lithium production boost in Arkansas.

Wright also vowed to “immediately engage” in an emerging DOE controversy related to an agency Inspector General report that seeks suspension of federal advanced clean energy manufacturing loans because of claimed “conflicts of interest” in the agency Loan Programs Office related to use of contractors. It now administers $385 billion in loan authority granted under Biden administration funding laws for advanced clean energy manufacturing.

 “Nothing is more important than the integrity of the loan process,” Wright said in response to questioning related to agency loans that Trump has threatened to end.

But as the hearing began, the office announced conditional loan guarantees totaling $22.9 billion for eight utility led power and gas projects to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Wright also promised to divest his financial interests in energy companies such as Fervo, which is developing geothermal sites on federal lands and nuclear developer Oklo. “I followed ethical business practices my whole life and will continue at DOE,” he said.

Burgum:  ‘Innovation over Regulation’

Meanwhile, Burgum testified that if confirmed, he would take an approach fostering “innovation over regulation” and emphasized the need to increase oil and gas development to ensure U.S. transmission reliability. “Energy dominance is the foundation of American prosperity… and unparalleled energy security.”  

While the questioning by both Democrats and Republicans on the committee was civil, with even Democrats expressing the desire to be able to work productively with Burgum if confirmed, critics contend his statements underscore his commitment to an agenda that would be decidedly more friendly to fossil fuel interests than the previous administration.

 America Fitzpatrick, League of Conservation Voters conservation program director, said Burgum’s “prioritization of an energy policy that promotes risky drilling and oxymoronic ‘clean coal’ would be far costlier for consumers than cheaper, faster, cleaner energy solutions like wind, solar, and geothermal.”

Former US congressional representative aim for ‘collaborative’ culture at EPA. Photo: Senate ENR Committee

EPA candidate Zeldin emphasized a record of bipartisanship while a congressional representative for a metropolitan New York City district from 2015 to 2023, citing work across party lines to preserve Long Island Sound; his support for the Save Our Seas Act, a bipartisan bill to reduce plastic debris in coastal ecosystems; and his involvement with the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.

Claiming constituents that take environmental issues “very seriously, I developed a record in Congress, fighting hard and with great success advancing their local priorities,” he said. Zeldin added that if confirmed, he would foster a “collaborative culture” in EPA to ensure “we are protecting the environment while also protecting the economy.”

But environmental groups and others have characterized him as a Trump loyalist who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential results, and against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act nor the Inflation Reduction Act. In his opening statement before the committee, Zeldin described Trump’s election win as a “mandate to lead our nation to prosperity.”

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) noted that Zeldin’s background as a paid consultant for oil and gas interests, many with ties to the Trump campaign, and his “anti-climate op-eds paid for by dark money organizations do not give me confidence that he will be an honest broker if confirmed to lead EPA.”

But in responding to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on whether he agreed with Trump campaign references to climate change as a “hoax,” rather than a real and urgent threat, Zeldin responded: ”Senator, we must, with urgency, be addressing these issues.”

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hoped to advance the Wright and Burgum nominations by the end of January. but it is unclear when a full Senate confirmation vote will occur.

 Nominees for Cabinet positions can be confirmed by a simple majority vote.