New Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz doesn’t want to spend his tenure battling over climate science.
“Let me make it very clear that there is no ambiguity in terms of the scientific basis calling for a prudent response on climate change,” Moniz told Energy Department employees shortly after his swearing-in.
“I am not interested in debating what is not debatable,” Moniz said in his remarks at the Tuesday ceremony. “There is plenty to debate as we try and move forward on our climate agenda.”
The comment was part of much wider-ranging remarks, available here, on Moniz’s overall agenda.
He also addressed the Energy Department’s missions around power grid resilience, oversight of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, nonproliferation, scientific research and more.
Moniz is stepping into the Cabinet job at a time when President Obama has vowed new executive-level actions on climate.