Dec. 13--In an area where the largest employer, by some way, is funded by The Department of Energy, the appointment of a new secretary can have quite an impact.

This week, one of the country's most renowned scientists Steven Chu has emerged as President-elect Barack Obama's choice for that position.

For years Chu has been a vocal advocate for more research into alternative energy, arguing that a shift away from fossil fuels is essential to combat global warming. Many around the CSRA will be anxious to see if Chu's vision meshes with their own, either eagerly awaiting a nuclear renaissance or looking to move in a less-toxic direction.

Those in South Carolina's federal delegation, who all favor nuclear as the way forward, seem unsure what the prospect of the new secretary holds.

"I would hope the next secretary would be pro-nuclear," U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett said briefly after Obama's election. "We need to continue the move toward making the country energy independent. And I don't see any other viable way forward besides nuclear."

With not much known by average America about the 1997 Nobel laureate physicist, many do not want to commit to an opinion until Chu's expected appointment is closer to reality.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) will not be giving any statements on any of Obama's selected appointees until the hearings have begun, a spokesperson said Friday.

Before Chu's name was announced, DeMint made clear what he felt the secretary must prioritize.

"A new energy secretary needs to pledge to expedite the exploration of offshore oil and natural gas reserves so we can keep our economy strong," said Wesley Denton, spokesman for DeMint. "A new secretary also needs to break with the Carter-era nuclear policies that set us back decades and help remove obstacles to clean, safe nuclear power including the important MOX program and opening Yucca Mountain."

Chu, 60, is currently the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. In recent years, he has campaigned to bring together a cross-section of scientific disciplines to find ways to counter climate change.

Since 2004, Chu has been director of the Berkeley lab, with its 4,000 employees and a budget of $650 million. The laboratory has been a center of research into biofuels and solar energy technologies.

Obama has promised to move quickly on energy issues, including a push for more alternative fuels and to get Congress to address climate change.

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