Who would be the best person to run Trump's energy policy?
Donald Trump, the president-elect of the United States, has pledged to overhaul U.S. Energy Policy. He aims to maximize oil and gas production in this country which is already at record levels by rolling back regulations and accelerating permits.
Who will he select to lead the departments and agencies that are critical to completing this task?
These are some names that have been considered.
Department of Energy
Two sources with knowledge of the matter say that Trump's second Energy secretary Dan Brouillette, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, are both candidates to lead the U.S. Department of Energy during the next administration.
Brouillette was a member Louisiana's Mineral and Energy Board between 2013 and 2016, and earned a reputation for being a bureaucrat that could achieve policy goals without a lot of drama. This was something Trump's administration valued, after an initial period filled with scandals and suits.
In a press release, he stated that he resigned as the head of the Edison Electric Institute last week "so I could spend more time with global business and policy leaders", focusing on "existential energy challenges".
Burgum runs a state with a large oil drilling industry and shares Trump’s goal to advance drilling.
The Department of Energy is responsible for a large part of the U.S. energy diplomacy abroad, manages the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and runs grant and lending programs to advance energy technology. It also oversees nuclear weapons and energy.
Interior Department
Sources familiar with the situation say that former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt of Trump and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy have been considered for the Interior Department. The Interior Department manages federal lands, waters, and conducts regular leasing auctions to develop energy.
Bernhardt, like Brouillette under Trump's initial administration, earned a reputation for being a competent bureaucrat. Dunleavy shares a similar interest as Trump with regard to expanding access for the oil and gas industries to federal property after the administration of President Joe Biden angered Dunleavy by blocking permits to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Dan Eberhart, who is a Trump donor, and the CEO of Canary, LLC, an oilfield services firm, could also be a potential candidate. He said he was interested in securing an important role in the Trump Administration, such as Deputy Secretary of Interior Department or Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENT
Trump is likely to reverse a number of environmental policies that are administered by the EPA. These include a rule that limits greenhouse gas emissions at power plants, and another that reduces tailpipe emissions in the country's fleet of vehicles.
Scott Segal of the law firm Bracewell, a lobbyist, said that Trump's former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler could be nominated again to lead the agency. Other names could be considered for the agency, but it was unclear what they were. (Reporting and writing by Richard Valdmanis, Nichola Slattery, Nichola Gardner, and Gram Slattery. Editing by Daniel Wallis.
(source: Reuters)
