Trump Cabinet Picks Will Balance Energy Abundance With True Conservation

The American people made their voices heard on Nov. 5 by rejecting the Biden–Harris administration’s net-zero climate agenda. Instead, they resoundingly chose a future marked by energy abundance and true conservation.

Earlier this month, President-elect Trump unveiled his three cabinet picks to oversee the energy and natural resources portfolio: former Congressman Lee Zeldin as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, Gov. Doug Burgum as secretary of the Department of the Interior, and Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright as secretary of the Department of Energy. All three men have a mammoth task to clean up and depoliticize their agencies.

Incoming EPA Administrator Zeldin must unburden his new workplace from climate alarmism. Zeldin can start by revoking the unreasonable electric vehicle mandate for light- and medium-duty vehicles, packaged as a tailpipe emissions rule, which requires that nearly 66 percent of new cars be electric by 2032. Most Americans don’t plan to buy EVs since they have range issues, long charging times, and might actually be worse for the environment than gas-powered cars. Even Elon Musk, the Tesla EV pioneer, agrees with ending the Biden–Harris $7,500 EV credit, as studies show lower-income taxpayers end up subsidizing wealthy Americans’ electric car purchases.

Additionally, a Zeldin-led EPA could lower emissions without participating in the flawed Paris Climate Accords, ensure property rights are respected, and gut wasteful environmental justice grants that were supposed to help minority communities, but don’t.

Like the EPA, the Department of the Interior (DOI) will have a serious reformer in Gov. Doug Burgum who will restore common sense at the agency that presides over energy development and land issues. The Biden–Harris administration gave an 80 percent discount to unreliable solar and wind projects and approved the fewest offshore oil and gas lease auctions ever, the lowest rate in history, as a step toward phasing out fossil fuels by 2050. Not only will Burgum reverse this trend and approve more exploration of domestic coal, oil, and gas as secretary and chair of the inaugural National Energy Council, he can restore trust in conservation issues.

His predecessor, Deb Haaland, made a mockery of park rangers, oversaw eco-grief sessions in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), used faulty science to ban lead use on public lands for new fishing and hunting opportunities, and shut down over 41 million acres to multiple uses under the flawed America the Beautiful (30-by-30) initiative.

Burgum, an avid bowhunter and self-described conservationist, can reassure hunters, anglers, and gun owners — the largest funders of conservation efforts in the U.S. — they won’t be sidelined again. He will likely boost the Great American Outdoors Act, a consequential 2020 bill then-President Trump signed into law to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund — with offshore oil and gas royalties — and fix the National Park Service (NPS) maintenance backlog. This action will be necessary as the “environmentally-friendly” Biden–Harris administration neglected this area, adding $9 billion to the maintenance backlog over the last four years.

Liberty CEO Chris Wright’s selection to serve as secretary at the Department of Energy is equally important. He will be the first energy industry representative to helm the department and will work alongside Burgum to oversee the National Energy Council. Wright’s agency will immediately get to work lifting the illegal Biden–Harris liquified natural gas (LNG) export ban. The U.S. export capacity is expected to exceed 16.4 billion cubic feet per day this year. This will not only benefit the energy industry and American consumers but have positive national security implications.

Wright is also expected to prioritize nuclear power over intermittent sources like solar and wind. A typical 1,000 megawatt (MW) nuclear facility functions 24/7, operates nearly 93 percent of the year, and has a low environmental footprint using a mere square mile of land. In contrast, utility-scale solar and wind facilities consume 75 and 360 times more land, respectively, to create the same amount of electricity. Nuclear, like natural gas, will be pivotal in meeting rising electricity demand.

Additionally, a Wright-led Department of Energy will terminate the Biden–Harris “War on Household Appliances” and bring back consumer choice. Americans were expecting to pay $9,000 more for climate-friendly household appliances that, ironically, used more energy and drove up appliance costs.

The net-zero dogmatism of the Biden–Harris administration created energy scarcity and environmental inflation. It’s imperative these three cabinet picks prioritize an energy abundance mindset that balances domestic production with conservation stewardship.

Gabriella Hoffman is director of the Center for Energy and Conservation at the Independent Women’s Forum and host of the District of Conservation podcast. Follow her on X at @Gabby_Hoffman.

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