During a primary debate before the 2012 presidential election, then-Texas-Governor Rick Perry made a huge mistake. When asked to name the three federal agencies he said he would eliminate if elected, he could only come up with two on the spot. President-elect Donald Trump has now chosen Rick Perry to lead the agency Perry couldn’t remember that day—the Department of Energy.

The three-term Governor will take over an agency that has been run by individuals with a science background in recent years. After confirmation by the Senate, Perry will oversee an expected effort to reduce funding for research and development of renewable energy technology in favor of fossil fuels. Perry sits on the board of Energy Transfer Partners, a pipeline company whose subsidiary is behind the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline.

Perry has repeatedly rejected the conclusions of climate science over the years, even claiming that scientists have manipulated data to create the appearance of warming. But while he was friendly to Texas’ petroleum industry, he also oversaw a boom in wind energy in his state. Texas produces more wind energy than any other state, with farmers and ranchers taking advantage of wind turbine leases to add another source of income.