Bennet Statement on Meeting with Energy Secretary Nominee Dr. Ernest Moniz

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement regarding his meeting with Dr. Ernest Moniz, President Obama’s nominee to serve as Energy Secretary.

“In the absence of Congress crafting a cohesive strategy to power our economy into the future, the Energy Secretary plays an outsized role in shaping the nation’s energy policy. The Energy Secretary also must balance the urgent need to reduce carbon pollution against the reality that traditional resources still make a significant contribution to the nation’s energy mix. While these are not easy tasks, Dr. Moniz is well equipped to meet these challenges and I look forward to supporting his nomination.”

“Dr. Moniz is a renowned scientist who understands the magnitude of the challenges we face. During our meeting I emphasized the urgency of diversifying our energy mix to address a warming climate and the importance of the research happening at Colorado’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to help in those efforts. I also praised the President and the Department of Energy for including our “Race to the Top for Clean Energy” concept in their most recent budget. Dr. Moniz and I had a good discussion and I look forward to working with him.”

Dr. Moniz is a professor of physics at MIT, head of the school’s Energy Initiative, and director of the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. He currently serves on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. During the Clinton Administration, he served as undersecretary of energy and associate director of the White House Office of Science and Technology.