*

All three nominees sent to full senate for vote

*

Democrat votes against Wright for his stance wildfires are

overhyped

*

Biden had sought to limit oil drilling

(Adds comment by Republican Senator Mike Lee, paragraph 10, and

that Trump EPA pick Zeldin passed through committee)

By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate committees on

Thursday approved President Donald Trump's choices to run energy

and environmental policy - officials who, if backed by the full

Senate, will seek to maximize fossil fuel output and scrap

chunks of climate policy.

The panel voted 18-2 to approve former North Dakota governor

Doug Burgum to lead the U.S. Department of Interior and a new

national council on energy, expected to boost production of oil

and gas.

The committee also voted 15-5 to approve Chris Wright, the

Energy Department pick and the CEO of oilfield services company

Liberty Energy.

In addition, the Senate environment committee voted 11-8 to

approve former U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin, Trump's choice to

run the Environmental Protection Agency.

The full Senate, which is controlled by Trump's Republican

party, will next consider the nominations.

Burgum has said he will vigorously pursue maximizing energy

production from U.S. public lands and waters, calling it key to

national security.

Burgum's comments to lawmakers during his nomination hearing

signaled a sharp turn in policy. Former president Joe Biden, as

part of his efforts to tackle climate change, for years sought

to limit oil and gas drilling by reducing federal lease auctions

and banning future development in some offshore waters.

Wright believes fossil fuels are the key to ending world

poverty, which is a greater problem than climate change's

"distant" threat, according to a report he wrote while at

Liberty. He will step down from the company if approved by the

Senate.

In his nomination hearing, Wright said the wildfires that

devastated Los Angeles are "heartbreaking," but stood by his

previous comments on social media about wildfires.

In 2023 Wright said on social media that "hype over

wildfires is just hype to justify" policies to curb climate

change.

Senator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat who voted

against Wright, said his comments regarding wildfires and his

refusal to retract his statement have "made it impossible for me

to support his nomination."

Senator Mike Lee, a Republican, said both Wright and Burgum

have proved they are committed to carrying out Trump's plan to

"unleash American energy by ending the policies of climate

alarmism and extremism."

Zeldin often voted against legislation on green issues

including a measure to stop oil companies from price gouging.

Zeldin said at his nomination hearing he believes climate

change is real and a threat but that the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) is just authorized, not required, to

regulate carbon dioxide emissions.

Zeldin would likely be tasked with carrying out several of

Trump's executive orders, including making recommendations to

the Office of Management and Budget on "the legality and

continuing applicability" of the greenhouse gas endangerment

finding of 2009.

That finding, upheld by the Supreme Court, gives the EPA the

authority to take measures to regulate those emissions.