Trump’s Turning Global Warming Policy On Its Head, Top Official Says

The Department of Energy (DOE) under the Trump administration is changing its policy focus from combatting climate change to establishing energy independence.

Under former-President Barack Obama, the DOE subordinated energy research and development to reducing global warming. The department’s research, funding, and agenda were driven by environmental and emissions goals, rather than overall energy production and economic impact, Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette told The Washington Examiner.

“[Obama’s DOE] moved [energy research] under what was called the undersecretary of science and energy. The energy part was much less relevant to the science part,” Brouillette said. “They wanted climate science to dictate their energy policy.”

The Trump administration has since switched DOE priorities, rolling back regulations on the energy industry and aiding in an oil and gas boom that is expected to make the U.S. a net exporter of energy for the first time ever. The U.S. is also on track to overtake Russia and Saudi Arabia in crude oil output.

“Look, they had different policy objectives, and that’s what elections are all about. So, I’m not at all concerned about the direction they took,” Brouillette said. “We want to do it exactly the other way around. We think we can produce energy here in America cleanly and efficiently and responsibly.”

“We have to produce it ourselves. That’s what the president’s talking about with this energy dominance agenda. We have to do this. And I think if you look at the larger political situation, we are,” Brouillette added.

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