[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},"mediaId",6241963,"mediaKeyId","3251716-51db43a9f0876db547abdb5631e9586e","parentId",3251716,"title","Nominees at Senate energy hearing pledge to speed permitting, defend scientific integrity and advance fossil-energy goals","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",590000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251716-51db43a9f0876db547abdb5631e9586e&start=590&end=590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251716-51db43a9f0876db547abdb5631e9586e/thumbnail_590000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241963/Nominees-at-Senate-energy-hearing-pledge-to-speed-permitting-defend-scientific-integrity-and-advance-fossil-energy-goals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241963-dc45f00941e83a92ab464e40a1a33bff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187842&Signature=k-CK8PqE9fo1t1NY6DGUIx9MTurh~PGvXkw2ACK5KDA9U40a268g08CvPDgyloKiYF0fpia0SXlBpin15NeemJXpcjsYQrP-YrZyNbIUSUwL5~4X~G7NfMlm2um7jt7iDBGIWscjmWwDim~xZcZHWbA1jFjN-iK85UAV5dsPjA53lHlSUUAUJqBY9KGjtoksct1NUl7J26KAOH5ep9gfLDHld4MyrYkrD22c3~kJfEeBYvqzSxCkD0e-kWgeske09zWD3WLH6R37qBFtpE0V-BCWCynuuUWK5wHDpovs8JC8LNOeeiFe~nRVBzNTWB3Gm1Xy~JTuWcWxsleBZIGEqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources","date","2025-05-09T03:19:03Z","article","The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee took testimony from three nominees on the administration’s energy agenda and permitting reforms, with lawmakers pressing nominees on NEPA timelines, Department of Energy staffing and research priorities, and the future of carbon capture and battery manufacturing.

William Dauphmeier, nominated to be solicitor for the Department of the Interior, Catherine Jerezah, nominated to be assistant secretary of energy for electricity, and Kyle Haustfeit, nominated to be assistant secretary of energy for fossil energy, each described their backgrounds and answered senators’ questions about how they would approach statutory obligations and agency priorities if confirmed.

Dauphmeier told senators he recognizes NEPA is “a procedural statute, and it does require a hard look,” and said he would not “publish a final EIS and a record of decision that did not entail the necessary hard look and what’s required by the statute.” He also said a solicitor cannot overturn a federal district judge’s decision: “The short answer is no. I do not believe that the solicitor can overrule, a federal district judge.”

Senators pressing nominees ranged across priorities. Ranking Member Senator Heinrich pressed Dauphmeier on frozen appropriations and asked whether the solicitor would ensure that appropriated funds are obligated in accordance with law and the Impoundment Control Act; Dauphmeier said he would analyze the facts and law and give advice based on statutory requirements. Senator Hickenlooper asked about staff reductions at DOE and national labs; Jerezah acknowledged recent departures and said, if confirmed, she would assess staffing needs and work to ensure the office had appropriate resources.

Permitting reform and ambitious NEPA timelines were central themes. Chairman Lee and several senators discussed expedited internal deadlines the administration seeks for environmental assessments and environmental impact statements—14 and 28 days, respectively—asking whether such timeframes could meet NEPA’s “hard look” standard without creating litigation risk. Dauphmeier said time limits are ambitious and welcomed statutory reforms but warned that issuing a legally deficient EIS could create later remands and stop project construction, saying that would be “counterproductive.”

Policy questions also addressed energy markets and international trade. On LNG exports and a potential USTR action that could restrict exports, Haustfeit said restrictions would be “a negative for America” and pledged to work with senators to clarify jurisdictional questions should he be confirmed.

Committee members asked about other program areas. Senator Cortez Masto pressed nominees about DOE programs that support battery manufacturing and cited a proposed fiscal 2026 budget cut of roughly $15,000,000,000 from the bipartisan infrastructure law; Jerezah said energy storage research is within the Office of Electricity’s portfolio and pledged to work with lawmakers on innovation and commercialization. Senators also raised Puerto Rico resilience funding (a $1,000,000,000 congressional appropriation and approximately $365,000,000 in awards to community health centers), and carbon-capture projects tied to Alaska and other regions; Haustfeit committed to reviewing project agreements and to support commercially viable carbon-capture solutions.

Before testimony began, the committee swore in the witnesses. The hearing record will remain open for written statements through May 15, and questions for the record were due by 6 p.m. the day of the hearing, Chairman Lee said.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WATCH LIVE: Business Meeting and Committee Hearing on Several Pending Nominations","oneSentenceSummary","At a hearing on three administration nominees, senators pressed the DOI solicitor nominee and two DOE nominees on permitting timelines under NEPA, DOE staffing and research priorities, methane monitoring, battery manufacturing funding and carbon-capture projects.","taxTitle","Energy and Natural Resources: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1991,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6241968,"Senate Energy Committee reports favorably on four administration nominees",481,987000,1468000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251716-51db43a9f0876db547abdb5631e9586e&start=987&end=1468","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251716-51db43a9f0876db547abdb5631e9586e/thumbnail_987000.jpg","/articles/6241968/Senate-Energy-Committee-reports-favorably-on-four-administration-nominees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241968-849f398e09fc5b4e73f8dd86810b35e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187842&Signature=btcDuOJowe-4h4Na6xHyy-k3ISEkah1lduOXvWaq0frTjBVc00SxU4TmqrOhcNJ4yNn0CQVYWoOb4mjc0CoptqJkIxokMmYWBnnIRmIfLUEbPWOeVHGw9fAnsPW5TJ9~Pt1s7S-SGwdWYbt0d6iefPdyfhlRvRukp7PF4AU3Ht4cg~XiPtV5uW74jwEkvdkc2tEpPiuF8DOaUBfhnODf8ZVqlWWD7sANsVBGd2gJpVb0JE-A8-qYdhsSrJ2aTfmIhWrtcwsJrKUmZa3SgBl84YSET4r3SX54KZ9U0gpr1Bzd4yAuv5MUrYe-UFfS-Rj6gn~KnFZjuA9ahmA5Y3flzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the record voted to report favorably four administration nominees to the full Senate, the committee announced during a short business meeting that preceded a nomination hearing.

Chairman Lee said all four nominees had submitted timely answers to senators’ written questions and urged the committee to proceed quickly. The nominees recorded as reported favorably were Andrea Travnik for assistant secretary of the interior for water and science (ayes 14, nays 6), Leslie Beyer for assistant secretary of the interior for lands and mineral development (ayes 14, nays 6), and Theodore Garris for assistant secretary of energy for nuclear energy (ayes 14, nays 6). The committee also voted to report Tristan Abbey to be administrator of the Energy Information Administration (ayes 12, nays 8).

Ranking Member Senator Heinrich said he would support three of the four nominees but voiced substantial reservations about the administration’s policies at the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior. Heinrich said he would vote against the EIA nominee, adding, “I will be voting no on this confirmation,” and cited concerns about recent changes at the Energy Information Administration that he said left the agency without its traditional analytical narrative and canceled the international energy outlook for 2025.

Clerk roll calls recorded the tallies that sent the nominations to the floor. After each vote, Chairman Lee said any member wishing to speak briefly on a nominee would be recognized and that the committee would proceed promptly to the hearing that had been scheduled for later in the session.

The business meeting concluded when the committee resumed its hearing on three additional nominees for senior posts at the Department of the Interior and Department of Energy.","The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to report four presidential nominees favorably to the Senate floor, with one vote showing stronger opposition than the others.","actionData","errors"]

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Nominees at Senate energy hearing pledge to speed permitting, defend scientific integrity and advance fossil-energy goals

Senate Energy Committee reports favorably on four administration nominees