Shannon Van Hoesen, shannon.vanhoesen@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a long-time former fracked gas company CEO, delivered remarks during the first day of CERAWeek.
During his remarks, Secretary Wright announced an export permit extension of Delfin LNG, a proposed offshore methane gas export terminal, and doubled down on the administration’s opposition to wind power generation. In calling for deepening the country's development of and reliance on oil and gas, Wright inaccurately referred to climate change and rising CO2 emissions as a necessary “trade-off” to enable economic growth.
In reaction, Sierra Club Director of Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy Mahyar Sorour released the following statement:
“Since taking over as Energy Secretary, Chris Wright has shown strong allegiance to his oil and gas executive buddies over the American people. His remarks at CERAweek demonstrate that the only thing that has changed since his days as a fracked gas CEO is the title on his business card. If we stop the expansion of methane gas exports and end handouts to oil and gas executives while investing in access to affordable, clean energy we can bring down energy bills while also reducing our reliance on dirty fossil fuels that drive increasing, catastrophic climate disasters. Dealing with climate change is not a ‘trade-off,’ it is an urgent crisis that affects us all.”
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.