Wright: Trump Administration to Unleash U.S. “Energy Dominance”
Energy Secretary nominee Christopher Wright will prioritize “energy dominance,” permitting reform and technological innovation when he takes office, he said during confirmation hearings this week (ABC News).
What’s going on: “I see three immediate tasks where I’ll focus my attention if I get the privilege of being confirmed,” Wright told the Energy and Natural Resources Committee at a two-and-a-half hour nomination hearing Wednesday. “The first is to unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore our energy dominance. The security of our nation begins with energy. … To compete globally, we must expand energy production including commercial nuclear and liquefied natural gas and cut the cost of energy for Americans.”
- Excessive regulations and permitting requirements make “energy more expensive and less reliable,” he went on, adding that to lower energy costs, “we must prioritize cutting red tape, enabling the private sector investments and building the infrastructure we need to make energy more affordable for families and businesses.”
- In addition, he said, it’s critical that the U.S. “lead the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs.”
An all-of-the-above strategy: Wright, CEO of hydraulic fracturing firm Liberty Energy, has long been a proponent of expanding domestic oil-and-gas production. He also supports a variety of other energy technologies, he said.
- “I am for improving all energy technologies that can better human lives and reduce emissions. They go together.”
- Wright underscored the importance of nuclear energy, LNG and geothermal power.
- President Trump has pledged to overturn the Biden administration’s year-long ban on new LNG export permits. The NAM has spoken out against the ban since it was imposed.
No “dirty” energy: Acknowledging the presence of protestors who interrupted the confirmation hearings, Wright sought to set the record straight on energy sources.
- “You have to understand that there isn’t dirty energy and clean energy,” said Wright, whose career has included work on nuclear fusion at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and solar energy at the University of California, Berkeley.
- All energies are different, and they all have different trade-offs. … Different geographies or locations have climates more favorable to this energy versus that energy. So it’s a complicated dialogue.”
The NAM says: “Energy Secretary nominee Wright is spot-on in his assessment of what the U.S. energy sector needs,” said NAM Vice President of Domestic Policy Chris Phalen. “An all-of-the-above strategy combined with comprehensive permitting reform—for which the NAM has long advocated—and strong technological innovation will secure us as energy leader on the world stage for decades to come.”