Secretary of Energy

When the Department of Energy was formed 4 August 1977, James Schlesinger became the first Secretary of Energy and the first Chairman of Dulce Base operations.

Dulce Base
James Schlesinger—VA, Charles Duncan—TX, James Edwards—SC, Donald Hodel—OR, John Herrington—CA, and James Watkins—CA were the only acting Chairmen of Dulce Base under the Department of Energy.

Dulce Base is an "Ultra Secret" base, that only a few U.S. Presidents knew of its existence. The Base came into existence as a secret lab, by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in 1953, beginning with iodine experiments. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 increased support for expanding nuclear industry to the private sector, which later made it possible to power a more complex underground base and in a very remote area. Dulce Base levels were added in the 1970s to continue MKUltra projects in Ultra secrecy, after DCI Richard Helms was taking heat in 1973. James Schlesinger was the first Chairman of the Dulce Base Complex when he took office in August 6, 1977. Carter did not know of Dulce Base.

After the presidency of George H. W. Bush and the end of the in 1991, the Secretary of Energy no longer serves as Chairman of Dulce Base. These measures were taken, due to leaks about Dulce Base and political officials who were named in association with the base in 1989.