Energy was the focus of two of the U.S. Senate confirmation hearings on Thurday, one featuring former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, the president-elect’s choice for Interior Secretary and the other on Lee Zeldin at the Environmental Protection Agency.
After firey hearings earlier in the week on other nominees, Burgum and Zeldin fared well on Thursday with no fireworks.
During his confirmation hearing, Burgum offered praise for Donald Trump’s agenda of “energy dominance.” As CNN reported, Zeldin testified he believes “climate change is real” but wouldn’t declare that the EPA is obligated to regulate planet-warming pollution.
Some Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee pressed Burgum on his environmental agenda and whether his mission aligns with that of Trump, who plans to overturn many environmental rules and regulations enacted under the Biden administration, reported Fox News.
“”President Trump’s energy dominance vision will end those wars abroad and will make life more affordable for every family in America by driving down inflation. And President Trump will achieve those goals while championing clean air, clean water and protecting our beautiful lands.”
Still, there were no fireworks and the Thursday morning hearing appeared to be more of a love affair. Not even Hawaii Democrat U.S. Sen. Mazie Horino could faze Burgum.
Zeldin had one intense exchange with Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) when he declined to say if he believed the EPA was responsible for regulation of climate change under the law.
“It was not a decision of the Supreme Court that if there was a fire in 2025 in California, that if that fire creates a danger to people … then that triggers the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide. There’s just more to that,” Zeldin said, reported The Hill.
“It’s pretty simple, it says the EPA is supposed to be the environmental watchdog, and not a fossil fuel lapdog,” responded Markey.