President Obama’s decision to nominate Ernest Moniz as U.S. Secretary of Energy potentially places an advocate of nuclear energy and shale gas at the head of the department during a time of intense debate over the future of both. The U.S. is grappling with how to regulate, and whether to export, its booming natural gas production; and the U.S. nuclear industry has been hobbled both by cheap shale gas and debate over post-Fukushima regulations.

The organization Food & Water Watch and other opponents of fracking organized a campaign against Moniz for secretary, writing in a letter to Obama, “While we appreciate your recent public comments about the need to address climate change, appointing Dr. Moniz,