Senate Republicans are preparing to confirm fracking executive Chris Wright as Energy secretary, a move criticized by Democrats for promoting fossil fuels over clean energy.Nico Portuondo reports for E&E News.In short:President-elect Donald Trump nominated Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, for Energy secretary. Wright has publicly denied the existence of a climate crisis.Wright’s leadership at the DOE would oversee billions in clean energy and carbon capture funding from recent laws, despite Republican plans to cut these programs.Democrats criticized the pick as prioritizing fossil fuel interests, while Republicans praised Wright’s commitment to expanding U.S. energy production.Key quote:“Chris Wright is a science-denying, self-serving, sanctimonious fracker who consistently puts the wants of energy producers over the needs of American energy consumers.”— Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.)Why this matters:The nomination underscores a sharp divide in energy policy priorities. A focus on fossil fuel expansion could undermine efforts to address climate change and transition to renewable energy, while threatening existing funding for clean energy projects.
Trump’s choice of fracking CEO to lead Department of Energy widely criticized
