Click for the latest from The Hill{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story  People to watch on energy, environmental issues in 2025 Energy and climate are expected to be divisive issues in 2025 as President-elect Trump, backed by GOP majorities in both the House and Senate, looks to expand U.S. energy development, while congressional Democrats worried about the effect on global warming seek to stymie him.© Greg Nash for The Hill Here are five figures likely to make headlines on energy and environmental issues in 2025. Energy czar and Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum As chair of a new National Energy Council, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) is set to broadly coordinate the incoming administration’s energy agenda. If confirmed to lead the Interior Department, he also likely would oversee an increase in oil and gas drilling on federal lands, marking a sharp contrast to the department’s outgoing secretary, Deb Haaland, who has been a major ally within the Biden administration to environmentalists.    North Dakota is the No. 3 state nationwide for crude oil production. Burgum was a high-profile Trump surrogate during the 2024 campaign and reportedly a vice presidential contender. One of the president-elect’s less controversial nominees, he is unlikely to see obstacles to his confirmation. Energy secretary nominee Chris WrightChris Wright, the CEO of fracking giant Liberty Energy, similarly is likely to carry out policy that echoes Trump’s support of the fossil fuel industry if confirmed to lead the Energy Department. President Biden’s Energy Department, under Secretary Jennifer Granholm, has heavily promoted renewable energy development and expansion of electric vehicles, two frequent targets of Trump’s. The department is likely to abandon those efforts under Wright.   For more people to watch, read more at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I'm Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:  Carter leaves influential energy, environmental legacyFormer President Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, left behind a history of pioneering energy and environmental policy.  Full Story  Outgoing Biden Interior Department announces flurry of new wilderness protectionsThe Biden administration proposed two rounds of new environmental protections for sites in the Western U.S. on Monday, beginning a process that would extend into the forthcoming Trump administration.  Full Story  Southerners are cleaning up from tornadoes that swept the region Cleanup was underway Monday after a strong storm system spawned hail, rain, high winds and tornadoes across the southern U.S. over the weekend, killing at least four people.  Full Story   In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Norovirus outbreaks surging across the US: CDC data Norovirus cases are surging across the country this winter, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Full Story   What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: Polar vortex poised to spin into U.S., leading to frigid January (Axios)  Why the troubled carbon offset market is taking cover (The Financial Times) These homeowners’ PG&E bills reveal California’s dramatic shift on solar (The San Francisco Chronicle)  What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Tensions with Russia rise amid power line sabotage Russia’s connection to the rupture of an undersea cable between Finland and Estonia is raising a new bevy of fears over the sabotage of critical power lines. Read more Trader Joe’s is opening a dozen new locations in 2025: Here’s where Trader Joe’s, a grocery-store chain known for its individually priced bananas and often “challenging” parking lots, is planning to open at least a dozen new locations in 2025. Read more  Opinions in The Hill  Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: The Biden administration is poisoning its legacy with PFAS Biden’s missed chance to safeguard America’s oceans   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Check out The Hill's Energy & Environment page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Energy and Environment newsletter Subscribe