Reuters is reporting President Obama will nominate Ernest Moniz “to head the Department of Energy as early as this week, according to a source familiar with the process.”
MITCH JONES, via Kate Fried, [email]
Jones is the director of the common resources program at Food & Water Watch, which put out this statement: “Mr. Moniz is a known cheerleader for exploiting our reserves of natural gas using a highly controversial and polluting practice known as hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’). His appointment to the DOE could set renewable energy development back years. If we pursue our fossil fuel addiction by expanding fracking, which Mr. Moniz will likely advocate, the oil and gas industry will thrive while true energy efficiency and renewable solutions languish. Our water, public health and climate would suffer.
“Mr. Moniz is affiliated with the industry-backed MIT Energy Initiative, so we shouldn’t be surprised about his favorable position on fracking. But President Obama could do a lot better. Appointing Mr. Moniz would be a nail in the coffin for one of his most lauded inaugural speech promises: a commitment to focus on climate solutions.”
