On Sunday, October 20, 2019, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette visited Lexington, Kentucky alongside Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Neil Chatterjee and U.S. Congressman Andy Barr to meet with state leaders in energy policy, regulation, and education on the sidelines of the EnVision Forum, jointly sponsored by FERC and the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER).

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto hosted Brouillette and other leaders to discuss the importance of STEM education and Kentucky’s role in the future of U.S. innovation in science and technology. The Deputy Secretary thanked FERC and CAER for hosting an important dialogue on energy challenges and opportunities, and he emphasized the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) support for early-stage research and development in this area. Last year, DOE provided approximately $29 million in funding for Kentucky-based energy and science projects. In addition, Brouillette discussed how Kentucky and DOE can continue leveraging their joint efforts to address regional issues ranging from enhancing grid reliability to combatting the opioid epidemic.

Under the Trump Administration, America has achieved true energy independence, producing energy more abundantly and cleanly than ever before. Brouillette underscored how Kentucky and the Appalachian region have contributed immensely to this growth, and how he will continue to pursue Secretary Perry’s energy security and diversity policies which provide jobs and economic benefits across Appalachia and the entire country.