Mon, Dec 4th, 2023 - 11:55am
August 04, 2020 - 4:12pm | By Chris Larson
Senators John Hoeven and Senator Kevin Cramer have issued statements after the US Senate confirmed Mark Menezes as Deputy Energy of Secretary, the second-highest ranking leader at the Energy Department.
During his confirmation hearing, Hoeven secured a commitment from Menezes to continue working to maintain the nation’s oil and gas production capacity and provide a true path forward for coal, both through the development of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies and ensuring a fair value for coal as a reliable source of baseload power.
Prior to his confirmation as Deputy Secretary, Menezes served as Under Secretary for Energy advising the Energy Secretary on energy policy and existing and emerging technologies.
“As the number two at the Department of Energy, we look forward to continuing to work with Deputy Secretary Mark Menezes to advance North Dakota energy priorities and appreciate his commitment to maintain his support for our oil and lignite industries,” said Hoeven. “Deputy Secretary Menezes has been a good partner in supporting our oil producers and in advancing the rules for the 45Q tax credit, which will make CCUS projects commercially viable. Ensuring coal is fairly valued in the market, combined with our efforts to advance CCUS, will help provide certainty for producers of this critical source of baseload power now and into the future.”
“Mark has the right qualifications and experience for this important role in the Energy Department. I look forward to working with him on the issues facing North Dakota’s energy producers and partnering with him and Secretary Brouillette to advance America’s energy dominance,” Cramer says.
