People to watch on energy, environmental issues in 2025

Energy & Environment

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People to watch on energy, environmental issues in 2025

Energy and climate are expected to be divisive issues in 2025 as President-elect Trump, backed by GOP majorities in both the House and Senate, looks to expand U.S. energy development, while congressional Democrats worried about the effect on global warming seek to stymie him.

Here are five figures likely to make headlines on energy and environmental issues in 2025.

Energy czar and Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum

As chair of a new National Energy Council, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) is set to broadly coordinate the incoming administration’s energy agenda. If confirmed to lead the Interior Department, he also likely would oversee an increase in oil and gas drilling on federal lands, marking a sharp contrast to the department’s outgoing secretary, Deb Haaland, who has been a major ally within the Biden administration to environmentalists.

North Dakota is the No. 3 state nationwide for crude oil production. Burgum was a high-profile Trump surrogate during the 2024 campaign and reportedly a vice presidential contender. One of the president-elect’s less controversial nominees, he is unlikely to see obstacles to his confirmation.

Energy secretary nominee Chris Wright

Chris Wright, the CEO of fracking giant Liberty Energy, similarly is likely to carry out policy that echoes Trump’s support of the fossil fuel industry if confirmed to lead the Energy Department.

President Biden’s Energy Department, under Secretary Jennifer Granholm, has heavily promoted renewable energy development and expansion of electric vehicles, two frequent targets of Trump’s. The department is likely to abandon those efforts under Wright.

For more people to watch, read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I'm Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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