In a move that alarmed green groups, Republican President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday tapped Chris Wright — the CEO of a fracking company who denies the climate emergency — as his energy secretary.

Wright, who leads the Denver-based oil services company Liberty Energy, is a Republican donor whose nomination to head the Department of Energy is backed by powerful fossil fuel boosters including oil and gas tycoon and Trump adviser Harold Hamm.

“Chris has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy. He has worked in Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “Most significantly, Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fueled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics.”

Trump — who has promised to increase fossil fuel production beyond the record-setting levels of the Biden administration — also said Wright would serve on a new Council of National Energy led by Doug Burgum, his pick to run the Interior Department.

In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Wright said that he is “honored and grateful for the opportunity” to be nominated by Trump.

“My dedication to bettering human lives remains steadfast, with a focus on making American energy more affordable, reliable, and secure,” he added. “Energy is the lifeblood that makes everything in life possible. Energy matters. I am looking forward to getting to work.”

Wright calls himself “a lifelong environmentalist” and said last year that “climate change is a real problem.” However,........

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