Republican President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday he wants Chris Wright, a Colorado oil and gas executive who denies that the world faces a “climate crisis,” to serve the new administration as Department of Energy secretary.

Wright will also be a member of the Council of National Energy, the formation of which was announced Friday. Details on the council are scarce, but it’s widely viewed as a further indication that the Trump administration intends to boost domestic fossil fuel and other energy production.

“Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new ‘Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace,’” a statement from the Trump transition team said.

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The Energy Department oversees the nation’s nuclear infrastructure and energy policy. Wright, who grew up and still lives in Colorado, is the founder, CEO, and board chair of Liberty Energy, based in Denver.

Last year in a video he posted to LinkedIn, Wright dismissed phrases such as “climate crisis,” “energy transition” and “clean energy” as “alarmist, deceptive marketing terms.” He acknowledged that global warming has occurred, but he chafed at its characterization as a crisis.

“The only thing resembling a crisis with respect to climate change is the regressive, opportunity-squelching policies justified in the name of climate change,” he said in the video.

He suggested that any warming attributable to the burning of fossil fuels is worth the benefits, such as “wealth, health and opportunity,” that fossil fuel energy brings.

He spread misinformation in the video.

“We have seen no increase in the frequency or intensity of hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts or floods despite endless fearmongering of the media, politicians and activists. This is not my opinion. This is the facts as contained in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports,” he said.

IPCC reports actually say the opposite.

“Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has further strengthened since (the previous report cycle),” the IPCC’s 2023 “synthesis” report says. “Human influence has likely increased the chance of compound extreme events since the 1950s, including increases in the frequency of concurrent heatwaves and droughts.”

Wright’s views directly contradict the Energy Department’s climate change mission under Democratic President Joe Biden.

“There is no greater challenge facing our nation and our planet than the climate crisis,” the department’s website says.

Wright’s nomination is one of several made by Trump — such as that of former Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to be attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services — that appear intentionally disruptive.

“Picking someone like Chris Wright is a clear sign that Trump wants to turn the U.S. into a pariah petrostate,” Jean Su, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program, said in a statement. “He’s damning frontline communities and our planet to climate hell just to pad the already bloated pockets of fossil fuel tycoons.”

Biden’s Department of Energy secretary is Jennifer Granholm, former Democratic Michigan governor.

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Top-ranked North Dakota St. has clinched at least a share of the MVFC title following a blowout victory against Missouri St. Saturday, a 59-21 drubbing of the Bears.

NDSU can win the crown outright next week at South Dakota after taking a share of the championship for the first time since 2021.

For the Bison, a share of the MVFC title is certainly not enough.

“I’m not interested in sharing anything,” Head Coach Tim Polasek said. “Our minds got to get right at about 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. With treatment, this game plan better be starting to move forward, be typed, because this defense that South Dakota has is going to be a great challenge once again.”

“We don’t want to share it,” Quarterback Cam Miller said. “We want the conference title by ourselves and that’s the plan moving forward.”

The Bison came out firing for the Harvest Bowl and Senior Day, going up 21-0 by the end of the first quarter and taking a 28-0 lead at one point, eventually winning by 38 points.

A day after Sheyenne won a state championship in the Fargodome, former Mustang Barika Kpeenu brought the boom on the ground for a career-high 169 yards and two touchdowns. Marty Brown also dominated on the ground with 113 yards and a score.

The MVFC championship isn’t the only thing at stake Saturday, because a win in its top five matchup at USD can also likely lock up the top seed in the FCS Playoffs for the Bison. Kickoff next Saturday is at 1:00 p.m.

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Missouri State football’s hopes of winning a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference on Saturday quickly disappeared as the Bears didn’t put up much of a fight against the No. 1 team in the Football Championship Subdivision.

FCS No. 14 Missouri State (8-3, 6-1 MVFC) didn’t stand a chance in a 59-21 loss to FCS No. 1 North Dakota State (10-1, 7-0 MVFC) at the FargoDome in Fargo, North Dakota.

The Bears were dominated along the offensive and defensive fronts against the nine-time FCS champions. The Bison scored early and often, taking a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and keeping their foot on the gas throughout.

The loss will be a measuring stick for Missouri State as it departs the FCS to become an FBS program in Conference USA next season. NDSU would rank among the better Group of 5 teams as a well-established winning program the Bears hope to build toward. It’s clear they have a long way to go.

Missouri State has an outside chance at still winning a share of the MVFC. The Bears would have to beat FCS No. 3 South Dakota State (9-2, 6-1 MVFC) in Springfield in their FCS finale while requiring the Bison to lose to FCS No. 5 South Dakota.

More: Missouri State basketball, Cuonzo Martin outlast Tulsa in wild 3OT thriller

Missouri State football fell into too big of a hole early

The Bison scored two touchdowns within the first quarter’s first five minutes. A 52-yard rushing touchdown on the Bison’s second offensive play was followed by a Jayden Becks fumble deep in MSU territory on the Bears’ first play of their second drive. NDSU star quarterback Cam Miller completed a three-yard touchdown pass, on fourth down, shortly after.

NDSU built its lead up to 28-0 with 8:16 left in the half. The Bears scored off a one-yard Jacardia Wright run before Miller threw his first interception of the season. A trick play saw Hunter Wood throwing a 40-yard touchdown pass to Becks to cut the lead in half.

Any feel-good the Bears could take into halftime disappeared when the Bison marched down the field and scored on a one-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left, regaining a three-touchdown lead.

North Dakota State dominated on both fronts

The biggest concern for the Bears heading into the game was how well their offensive and defensive lines would hold up against both elite Bison units. The answer? Not very well.

North Dakota State gashed the Bears on the ground with beautiful blocking throughout, opening up giant holes and allowing runners to pick up big gains. The Bison scored on rushes of 48, 49 and 52. They ended with 364 rushing yards while averaging 9.6 per carry.

On defense, the Bison got after Bears star quarterback Jacob Clark, sacking him four times and then sacking Brock Bagozzi twice when he came in relief. They limited the Bears’ grounded game to 86 combined yards with Jacardia Wright finishing with 68.

Were there any positives for Missouri State football?

Clark didn’t play poorly but looked overwhelmed early. He missed a few passes you’re used to seeing him make while the Bison pulled away. His 247 yards helped him break the school’s single-season passing record in one fewer game than Jason Shelley played during the fall 2021 season.

Other than that? There wasn’t much to write home about. It’s not terrible that the Bears got to see where they’re behind a top FCS team that might be among the best in the Group of 5 if NDSU ever gets an FBS invite. They have a lot of work to do in recruiting more offensive and defensive linemen who can be competitive at the next level.