President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Republican North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright as his nominees to lead the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy (DOE), respectively . Although others staff selection have been puzzlethe choice of Wright and Burgum signals a possible return to energy realism within the federal government.

Assuming they are confirmed to lead these agencies, Wright and Burgum will serve on the National Energy Council (which will be chaired by Burgum), which will work with federal agencies to streamline permitting, reduce regulations and put away from the private sector. energy innovations. As chief energy advisers, they will also be responsible for preventing Trump from using state power to support favored industries Or attack technologies he doesn’t like.

The Department of Energy manages the national stockpile of nuclear warheads, energy and technology research and development, and environmental cleanup at former nuclear weapons and nuclear research sites. Through legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the department received billions of dollars in new funding, which was oriented towards favorite projects. President Joe Biden’s DOE also suspended liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in January.

Whether or not Congress repeals the Inflation Reduction Act (a full repeal is unlikely), Wright will set spending priorities for the Department of Energy, including the budget reached almost 50 billion dollars in fiscal year 2024. If Wright wants to eliminate redundant and unnecessary programshe will have to work with legislators. Cutting red tape and reversing Biden’s pause on LNG exports are other steps he could take in his capacity as energy secretary.

The Department of the Interior facilitates oil and gas leasing and manages mining and renewable energy development on federal lands. During his first week in office, President Joe Biden suspended new oil and gas leasing on federal lands. THE to forbid remained in place until April 2022. The department also issued a 20-year mining moratorium on 225,000 acres of mineral-rich land in Minnesota.

With approximately Burgum, which accounts for 12 percent of the nation’s oil production and 11 percent of its natural gas production on federal lands, will play an important role in shaping U.S. energy policy over the next four years. Holding quarterly leases for oil and gas (which are required by law) and working with Congress to reduce regulations on mining on federal lands will fall within his purview. This latter measure would reduce dependence on China, which controls a large part of the critical mineral supply chain.

While many environmental groups oppose the nomination of an oil executive and a governor from a fossil fuel-producing state, Wright and Burgum’s archives suggest a holistic and innovative approach to energy policy.

As CEO of Liberty Energy, Wright played a key role in the development of hydraulic fracturing, the leading cause of emissions reductions in the United States. Wright is also a board member of Oklo, an advanced nuclear energy company specializing in microreactor design. And even though the media referred to Wright as “climate skeptic” he called climate change is a problem this problem can only be solved by making energy more affordable. His company launched the Foundation for the Improvement of Human Life, which increases access to propane cooktops in developing countries to reduce indoor air pollution, which causes an estimated 3.2 million premature deaths annually.

Since being elected governor in 2016, Burgum has adopted an “all of the above” approach to energy; 55 percent of North Dakota’s electricity come coal and 36 percent of wind power. As the state has remained a major oil producer, it has also adopted net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals that will be achieved through a combination of carbon capture and sequestration and hydrogen fuel.

To be sure, any positive steps Burgum and Wright have taken to help lower energy costs will likely be outweighed by Trump’s economic agenda; prices, industrial policyAnd reckless government spending raise prices for consumers and stifle economic growth.

Many of Trump’s staff picks being weird-Or downright terrible—Burgum and Wright are refreshingly competent. Together, they have the opportunity to prioritize energy realism, market-driven innovation and deregulation, which would be a win for taxpayers, consumers and the environment.