Chris Wright, President-elect pick for energy secretary, told senators during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that he would promote all sources of American energy, while also acknowledging the burning of fossil fuels causes .
, has been one of the industry鈥檚 loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He believes that more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe. His nomination went before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for a confirmation hearing. Protesters interrupted it multiple times.
Here are the most interesting moments:
Wright promises to implement Trump鈥檚 鈥渂old energy agenda鈥�
CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright promised to help Trump "unleash energy security and prosperity.鈥�
The centerpiece of Trump鈥檚 energy policy is ,鈥� and he has pledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats鈥� 鈥済reen new scam鈥� in favor of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, which cause climate change 鈥� when they burn, greenhouse gases are released.
鈥淧resident Trump shares my passion for energy,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淎nd if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.鈥�
He said that includes oil and natural gas, which underpin the nation's economy; coal, nuclear power and hydropower as major sources of energy; rapidly-growing wind and solar power; and geothermal energy, which could become a meaningful source of energy.
Sen. , D-Colo., called Wright an 鈥渦nrestrained enthusiast for fossils fuels in almost every regard,鈥� but noted that he studied nuclear, worked on solar energy and is a scientist who is open to discussion.
Wright says the burning of fossil fuels causes climate change
Sen. , I-Maine, said he thinks Wright's position on climate change is 鈥渕ore subtle than is publicly recognized鈥� and that he doesn't deny climate change is happening or that it's related to the combustion of fossil fuels, which are drastically increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Wright responded 鈥渁bsolutely,鈥� adding that 鈥渕ostly from the combustion of hydrocarbons to enable our modern world, ,鈥� making it harder for the Earth to shed heat.
Though he said climate change is real, he also said 鈥渢here isn鈥檛 dirty energy or clean energy.鈥� Rather, he said, there are different sources of energy with different tradeoffs.
鈥淓nergy is critical to human lives. Climate change is a global challenge that we need to solve,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淎nd tradeoffs between those two are the decisions politicians make and they're the decisions that will impact the future of our world and our quality of life.鈥�
Wright stands by statement that he believes 鈥榳ildfires are just hype鈥�
Sen. , D-Calif., asked Wright if he still believes that 鈥渨ildfires are just hype鈥� following the , which have thousands of homes.
Scientists say means more frequent and intense wildfires, with drought-like conditions in the western U.S., are more likely.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e written that the hype over wildfires is just hype to justify more impoverishment from bad government policies,鈥� Padilla said. 鈥淎nd given the devastation that we鈥檙e currently experiencing in Los Angeles, do you still believe that wildfires are just hype?鈥�
Wright said he stood by his past comments. He then said climate change is real before Padilla cut him off.
Padilla said, 鈥渢ell that to the families of the more than two dozen lost in these fires and counting.鈥�
Protesters interrupted the confirmation hearing multiple times
One protester yelled 鈥淟A is burning鈥� and another shouted 鈥淚鈥檓 18 years old and I want a future!鈥� They held up signs that read, 鈥渂ig oil profits, LA burns.鈥�
A disruption prompted the Republican Committee Chair, Sen. of Utah, to briefly halt the hearing, saying the committee would stand in recess until the Capitol Police could restore order.
Wright highlights geothermal energy, nuclear and natural gas production
Wright's company is an investor in that makes electricity cleanly from the Earth's heat. He serves on , a developer of small modular nuclear reactors.
Wright said he's excited about geothermal as an 鈥渁n enormous, abundant energy resource below everyone鈥檚 feet.鈥� Wright said he wants to accelerate the development of nuclear energy so it can meet a far greater share of the world's demand for electricity.
Republican Alaska Sen. asked Wright if he would support a to export liquefied natural gas overseas. He said it's a 鈥渢remendous idea鈥� and 鈥済reat for our country鈥� to grow natural gas production in Alaska and build infrastructure to export it.
Wright said he will sever all ties across the energy industry if confirmed.
Jennifer Mcdermott, The Associated Press
