The White House’s top energy and environment adviser is stepping down, leaving President Trump without a key official in his drive to carry out his deregulatory and “energy dominance” agenda promoting fossil fuel use.
Michael Catanzaro is leaving as special assistant to the president for domestic energy and environmental policy and returning to his former lobbying firm, CGCN Group.
The White House confirmed Catanzaro’s departure to the Washington Examiner, saying his last day will be next week.
“In just a short time on the job, I realized Mike was an integral member of the [National Economic Council] team and played an important role in crafting domestic energy and environmental policy,” said Larry Kudlow, the National Economic Council director. “His expertise and dedication to the Trump administration’s energy independence priorities was greatly valued and he will be missed. We thank him for his leadership and we wish him well on his future endeavors.”
Catanzaro will be replaced by Francis Brooke, an aide to Vice President Mike Pence, who will start April 30.
Catanzaro is the second major White House energy and environmental official to depart recently.
George David Banks resigned as the White House international energy and climate adviser in February because he was unable to get a full security clearance.
Banks had advocated for remaining in the Paris climate change agreement and was seen as a moderating voice on energy and environmental issues.
Catanzaro, by contrast, was the lead White House official in briefing Congress about Trump’s decision to leave the international climate change deal.
Catanzaro was also instrumental in issuing a White House directive for agencies to identify policies limiting domestic energy production as well as beginning the process of repealing and replacing the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan and Waters of the U.S. rule.
Until late 2016, Catanzaro worked at CGCN representing major industry clients such as Devon Energy of Oklahoma, an oil and gas company, Talen Energy of Pennsylvania, a coal-burning electric utility, the American Chemistry Council, and Koch Industries.
Under an ethics pledge implemented by Trump, Catanzaro will be blocked for five years from lobbying the administration. The White House said Tuesday it expects Catanzaro to abide by that rule.
Catanzaro also previously worked for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, served as a campaign adviser on energy and environmental matters to former President George W. Bush, and was an associate director for policy in the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
