An official website of the United States government Date: May 2, 2025 Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov  WASHINGTON - In a major step to expand recreational access to America’s public lands Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today announced 42 new proposed hunting opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System  This proposal would more than triple the number of opportunities and quintuple the number of stations opened or expanded compared to the previous administration underscoring a strong national commitment to outdoor recreation and conservation.  “Expanding recreational access to our public lands isn’t just about tradition—it’s about supporting rural economies and the American families who depend on them,” said Secretary Burgum “By opening more areas to hunting and outdoor recreation and generate revenue for local communities all while promoting responsible stewardship of our natural resources.”  The Service is proposing to open or expand opportunities for hunting and sport fishing at 16 National Wildlife Refuge System stations and one National Fish Hatchery System station  The Service is committed to ensuring that all hunting and fishing opportunities align with state fish and wildlife regulations We continue to work closely with our state partners to maintain consistency in areas such as the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle and we will incorporate these considerations into future updates.  “Hunting and fishing are traditional recreational activities deeply rooted in America’s heritage national fish hatcheries and other Service lands offer hunting and fishing access that helps boost local economies and gives Americans an opportunity to unplug,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Paul Souza “We are pleased to expand access and offer new opportunities that are compatible with our conservation mission and are committed to responsibly managing these areas for the benefit of future generations.”  Proposed new opportunities from these openings and expansions include the first-ever opening of hunting on the newly established Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland and the inaugural opening of sport fishing at North Attleboro National Fish Hatchery in Massachusetts at the request of the State of Minnesota and the White Earth Nation Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge proposes to end an experimental five-day early teal hunt where the refuge overlaps with tribal land to ensure safety for wild rice harvesting and to align with state regulations The regular teal season remains unchanged.  Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed more than $394 billion in economic expenditures in communities across the United States in 2022, with hunters and anglers accounting for over $144 billion in expenditures, according to the Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation an estimated 39.9 million Americans over the age of 16 fished and 14.4 million hunted.  The Service will publish the proposal for public comment in the Federal Register and it will be available at http://www.regulations.gov The Service intends to finalize the proposed changes in time for the upcoming 2025-2026 hunting seasons The National Wildlife Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 573 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts There is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas More than 69 million Americans visit refuges every year National wildlife refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation photography and environmental education.  There are 71 national fish hatcheries visited by more than one million people each year in the National Fish Hatchery System Hatcheries offer opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish In addition to offering opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish many hatcheries also provide picnic areas and offer other activities Currently the total number of National Fish Hatchery System units open to hunting and/or sport fishing is 31.  The Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations while also offering other wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.  The Department of the Interior hosted a solemn ceremony today to officially unveil the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge name change by the Fish and Wildlife Services Department of the Interior today announced that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the transfer of 680 acres of land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County Secretary Doug Burgum signed a Secretary’s Order renaming the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge following an executive order issued by President Donald J This page was not helpful because the content: Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis The move effectively centralizes control over the entire department’s operations—putting the power to shape staffing and priorities for the department’s thousands of duties into the hands of a single office Burgum announced that the internal administrative functions necessary for running all aspects of the Department of the Interior—that is, for individual staffing and budgetary decisions at 11 different bureaus—will be consolidated into the overarching office Burgum would be transferring all of his authority on those matters to one of his top-ranked deputies: the assistant secretary for policy “The order does not require Hassen to report back to Burgum regarding the reorganization nor does it reserve any authority to Burgum if Hassen were to fire thousands of public lands managers or wildfire specialists across the country.” an Interior spokesperson declined to “comment on personnel matters,” but declared that “we are implementing necessary reforms to ensure fiscal responsibility operational efficiency and government accountability.” Hassen teamed up with a couple of other DOGE affiliates to demand untrammeled access to sensitive employee information within Interior’s payment and HR systems and attempted to revive already dead coal plants No wonder, then, that Americans planned nationwide Earth Day protests. Three months into this term, Trump and Burgum have done everything they can to decimate the wildlife and destroy the natural beauty that actually does make America great. And now, with a DOGE guy all but running the Interior as Burgum munches his cookies, that exploitation is going to get much, much worse. Kayla Bartkowski / GettyApril 6, 2025 ShareSave Listen-1.0x+0:0013:03Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (Noa) using AI narration Interior Secretary Doug Burgum likes chocolate-chip cookies—preferably freshly baked and still warm This peculiar fact became the talk of the Department of the Interior in recent weeks after his chief of staff made an unusual request of the political appointees in his office: Learn to regularly bake cookies for Burgum and his guests using the industrial ovens at the department headquarters That request was not the only move by his team that has alarmed some Interior officials Four people familiar with Burgum’s leadership who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly told The Atlantic that Burgum was focused on his status as the leader of a minor Cabinet department and that those who ran his office repeatedly made unusual demands to his employees His office leadership once instructed political appointees to act as servers for a multicourse meal Park Police helicopter for his personal transportation a political appointee was told to remake the cookies because the batch was subpar Some of the concerns have been elevated to senior White House officials One person familiar with the behavior described Burgum as “Doug the diva.” Three people said the concerns have been widely discussed among lower-level staff at the Department of the Interior Two people said political appointees in Burgum’s office have been seen crying because of the demands placed on them “These pathetic smears are from unnamed cowards who don’t know Doug Burgum and are trying to stop President Trump’s Energy Dominance agenda,” Interior spokesperson Katie Martin told us in a statement “Everyone knows Secretary Burgum always leads with gratitude and is humbly working with President Trump.” speaking anonymously to push back on what they say are false claims said the cookies—which are made from store-bought premade dough and served to guests and staff in a basket—are simply part of the hospitality the department offers to visitors One of these officials also pointed out that most of these complaints are from the early days of the administration when the office was still ramping up and few political appointees were on staff he’s not demanding a helicopter,” an Interior Department official told us in response White House spokesperson Anna Kelly similarly dismissed any concern when asked for a comment on this story “Only The Atlantic could spin baking warm cookies for guests as a bad thing Cold-hearted people!” she wrote to us in a statement “Secretary Burgum is doing an outstanding job leading the Department of Interior.” and that the high price was required because of the historic nature of the building The former North Dakota governor nearly got the nod last summer to be Trump’s running mate ending up on Trump’s list of three finalists Trump appointed Burgum instead to Interior also naming him to the National Security Council at the White House and to be chair of the newly formed National Energy Dominance Council Larger Cabinet agencies typically come with more perks for senior officials like multiple food-service options and government aircraft for official travel That is not the case at the Department of the Interior which manages the National Park Service and about one-fifth of America’s land as well as the federal government’s relationship with Indian tribes The only restaurant at the C Street headquarters closed during the coronavirus pandemic and has not reopened was known to periodically walk across the street to the Met Cafe for its buffet lunch Burgum had breakfast with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the Treasury headquarters next to the White House according to three people briefed on the events Treasury has a dedicated wait staff that can serve multicourse meals for the secretary and his guests in a private room known as the “small conference room,” displays the silverware of Alexander Hamilton Burgum’s office instructed four political appointees in the Office of the Secretary multicourse lunch for a meeting with Wright and Mark Christie the head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the political appointees plated it into multiple serving courses and washed the dishes afterward Concerns about the use of political appointees—who are supposed to be helping to run the department—to serve food to the secretary later reached the White House The two Interior Department officials said that because the department has no cafeteria staff will help serve food if Burgum has guests over Burgum’s meal with Wright and Christie was not elaborate adding that it was the only time Burgum hosted lunch at the department Park Police helicopter stationed in Anacostia Park to land at polo fields near the National Mall to transport him to Andrews Air Force Base where he was scheduled to meet President Trump and fly on Air Force One to Florida for the weekend The eight-minute helicopter flight from Washington to Andrews is a standard privilege for presidents who have their own helicopter fleet maintained by the U.S Interior secretaries typically endure the 30-to-40-minute drive to Andrews The Aviation Unit of the U.S. Park Police, a division of the Department of the Interior, does not routinely handle VIP transport, according to a U.S. Park Police fact sheet The blue-and-white helicopters launch to provide additional aerial surveillance during presidential and other dignitary movements high-risk prisoner transport,” and to support for law-enforcement operations A person briefed on Burgum’s use of the Park Police helicopter said the aircraft was requested by the secretary’s security team after concerns were raised that he might not make the Air Force One departure time after a meeting at the White House Burgum had nothing to do with the decision to use the helicopter “The Secretary was slated to staff the President of the United States for a trip over the Gulf of America,” Martin told us in a statement traffic would not allow him to travel by vehicle the decision was made to take a helicopter to ensure he arrived at Andrews on time to staff President Trump which is a core mission of the Secretary of the Interior.” the two Interior Department officials added he flew on American Airlines to a fracking event in Washington County in coach—the sort of commercial travel that is more typical White House pool reports on February 7 described Trump arriving at 3:47 p.m. at Andrews and departing on Air Force One with Burgum on board shortly afterward. FlightAware, a company that tracks aviation movement, has no record of U.S. Park Police helicopters traveling in the Washington area on that day. But CopterSpotter a website for the public to upload photos of helicopters they see in the Washington area has a photograph of one of the Park Police helicopters flying near the Washington Monument at 3 p.m. shortly before Trump left the White House in his own helicopter Andrew Logan, an audio engineer who runs CopterSpotter and the website Helicopters of D.C. said that federal helicopters have the ability to turn off their outgoing GPS transponders which might explain why FlightAware did not record the February 7 flight the Republican chair of the Commerce Committee has been pushing federal aircraft in the D.C region to more frequently display their transponder location after a January 29 crash between an Army helicopter not operating its transponder and a regional jet killed 67 people at Reagan National Airport has told federal workers in Burgum’s office that the tradition of staff baking cookies began when he was governor of North Dakota before moving up to become a senior adviser to his gubernatorial campaign and the chief administrative officer for the state of North Dakota Burgum has also used the political appointees in his department for another purpose in recent days: stacking firewood in his office’s fireplace he has instructed his staff on the finer points of arranging logs so they won’t collapse and create noise when burning during meetings An Interior Department official said many people in the department—from Burgum himself to the most junior staff—have helped make fires Burgum has made some other peculiar requests of his staff is that the labels get removed from water bottles before they are delivered to him An Interior Department official said they remove the labels to avoid branding issues especially when sharing photos on social media Not everyone who has worked for Burgum is concerned about the way he treats his staff When an adviser close to Burgum over the past several years became aware of this story on Saturday evening he has never seen him behave in an arrogant way always carries his own bag and often replaces I in speeches with we in order to emphasize his team He so frequently begins meetings by expressing his gratitude for his staff or other people in the room that it’s become a running joke among his aides is “the ultimate team guy who has a history of promoting young people,” dating back to his time at Great Plains Software People wade into water at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park has filled from rain over the previous few months speak to reporters at the White House in Washington Under criticism for staff cuts across the country Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is directing national parks to “remain open and accessible” and says officials will ensure proper staffing to do so also calls for a detailed review of each park’s operating hours trail closures and other limits on visitor services Burgum said in the order that his department and the National Park Service “are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation’s most treasured places.” The park service has lost somewhere near 1,500 permanent employees since the beginning of this year president of the Arizona-based Association of National Park Rangers And it’s “bracing for another reduction in force expected in the very near future.” chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources praised the order and said it will ensure parks fulfill their mission millions of Americans and visitors from around the world will be enjoying our beautiful national parks,” he said in a statement executive director of the Denver-based Center for Western Priorities said mandating parks to remain operational without needed personnel and resources is an impossible task “This secretarial order is a hollow and cynical attempt to save face amid the outrage from the public about the harm the Trump administration is inflicting to not only national parks but the communities across the country that depend on them for economic survival,” Rokala said in a statement Burgum’s order says assistant secretaries will review the operating hours for each park and a full report must be sent to him within 15 days Rokala said that plan would remove park superintendents and the public from any future decisions regarding park management the public will be left completely in the dark about all the decisions,” Rokala said The order noted that national parks welcomed more than 331 million visitors last year The sites were run by more than 20,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report from Washington honors the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray whose tragic murder in June 2024 by illegal immigrants in North Houston underscored the critical need for robust border security measures The event was attended by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum Acting Fish and Wildlife Service Director Paul Souza Secretary Burgum emphasized that the refuge named in honor of Jocelyn Nungaray serves as a lasting tribute to her memory and a symbol of hope Secretary Burgum reaffirmed a commitment to protecting both the nation’s children and its natural spaces ensuring such tragedies are never repeated In a major step to expand recreational access to America’s public lands Department of the Interior today announced its intent to revise the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s 2024 Risk Management and Financial Assurance for OCS Lease and Grant Obligations Rule and proceed with development of a new rule that is consistent with the Trump administration’s 2020 proposed regulatory framework Secretary Doug Burgum traveled to the Gulf of America today to tour an offshore oil rig and liquefied natural gas export facility This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page By Scott Streater | 04/18/2025 01:40 PM EDT His order says the department will focus on its “core mission” and “will be unifying and consolidating many of its functions within the Office of the Secretary.” The Interior Department is moving forward with sweeping reorganization and consolidation efforts that will be overseen by a former member of the Elon Musk-led workforce reduction team Interior began circulating basic outlines for the reorganization last week which a department official familiar with the plan said at the time would include consolidating communications Another Interior official confirmed last week that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency which has spearheaded President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting efforts across the government Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed a secretarial order Thursday that confirmed most of those details Unification and Optimization of Administrative Functions,” Burgum’s order says Interior “will be unifying and consolidating many of its functions within the Office of the Secretary.” Further optimization will create significant efficiencies across the Department by improving processes and helping integrate technology adoption.” Burgum’s order also assigns the task of overseeing the effort to Interior’s assistant secretary for policy management and budget — the duties of which are currently being performed on an acting basis by Tyler Hassen a former DOGE member who joined the department last month The secretarial order offers no details on when the reorganization and consolidation plan will be executed how many employees might be involved and when it will be completed An Interior spokesperson issued an emailed statement saying the plan is part of broader efforts by the agency to implement “necessary reforms to ensure fiscal responsibility operational efficiency and government accountability” that Trump has outlined “While we do not comment on personnel matters we are collaborating closely with the Office of Personnel Management to embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation.” Hassen’s assistant secretary post will be responsible for developing “the appropriate prioritization and steps required to achieve” the reorganization plan He’ll be tasked with making “appropriate funding decisions for the resulting consolidated administrative functions,” and for ensuring “the appropriate transfer of funds as well as taking required personnel actions Burgum’s order says the goal is to allow Interior to focus its efforts on meeting its “core mission,” which the secretary writes “includes preserving more than 400 national parks and historic sites delivering on our legal responsibility to 574 federally recognized Native American Tribes and entities managing more than 500 million acres of U.S and offering emergency response and law enforcement capability across a broad and diverse geographic footprint.” But a conservation watchdog accused Burgum of handing over too much power and control for the reorganization to Hassen and DOGE executive director of the Center for Western Priorities “This order shows what it looks like when leaders abdicate their jobs and let unqualified outsiders fire thousands of civil servants who are working on behalf of all Americans and their public lands.” The secretarial order comes as Interior employees are on edge as they await expected departmentwide layoffs The firings would kick off a process in which employees would compete against each other jockeying for remaining positions using tenure Interior sent lists of specific competitive areas this week where staffers will compete for jobs according to documents obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News Among the areas listed: the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Office of Renewable Energy the Interior civil rights division in Denver the Bureau of Land Management’s communications office at Interior headquarters and a host of BLM state offices and directorates Interior has offered two rounds of deferred resignation and retirement to staffers; it’s not clear how many took the offer The National Treasury Employees Union told members of its BLM headquarters chapter that 1,000 bureau staffers agreed to leave under that buyout program It’s expected the Trump administration won’t move on mass layoffs at Interior until it determines how many employees voluntarily resigned or retired Burgum writes that the order signed Thursday is in response to Trump’s Feb. 11 executive order that lays out a broad outline for implementing DOGE’s governmentwide “Workforce Optimization Initiative.” Trump’s order called for the White House Office of Management and Budget director to “submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition.” It also directed government agencies to “hire no more than one employee for every four employees that depart.” It also directed OMB within 30 days to develop “Agency Reorganization Plans,” which among other things should include an evaluation into whether an individual “agency or any of its subcomponents should be eliminated or consolidated.” It exempted “military personnel” or any position an agency head deems “necessary to meet national security Scott Streater can be reached on Signal at s_streater.80 Request a FREE trial to receive unlimited access to Secretary Doug Burgum visited White Sands National Park in New Mexico today home to the world’s largest gypsum dunefield and one of America’s most extraordinary landscapes Secretary Burgum observed the vital role paleontology plays in the park’s mission by seeing an array of fossils including rare prehistoric tracks left by both humans and animals Secretary Burgum met with National Park staff to discuss ongoing initiatives aimed at documenting and preserving these ancient relics His visit comes just ahead of National Park Week entrance fees to all national parks will be waived Carlos Anchondo | 04/28/2025 07:17 AM EDT The Interior secretary supported many forms of energy as North Dakota’s governor but oil and gas are getting much of his attention now Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland earlier this year The former North Dakota governor has helped to promote fossil fuels under President Donald Trump When he fought for votes in North Dakota’s Republican gubernatorial primary in 2016 tech executive Doug Burgum did not have the financial backing of the state’s powerful oil and gas lobby Burgum — who is now Interior secretary — labeled that money a conflict of interest As governor, Burgum sought to push North Dakota to be carbon-neutral by 2030. He stressed “the importance of an all-of-the-above energy policy” when then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited the state in 2021 And he chaired a state commission that approved North Dakota’s first injection well for the geologic storage of carbon dioxide But as a member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet The new policy arrived days after Interior moved to halt construction on the Empire Wind project off the coast of New York arguing it was approved “without sufficient analysis.” That has left observers wondering what’s next from Burgum of CCS from these new policies may not be the type of action that we saw with Empire Wind but it’s noteworthy by itself,” said Travis Annatoyn counsel at Arnold & Porter who was a former deputy solicitor for energy and mineral resources at Interior in the Biden administration the American Petroleum Institute applauded the department’s plan to speed up environmental reviews “We welcome the administration’s focus on improving the permitting process and look forward to continuing to work with Secretary Burgum to advance U.S API’s vice president of upstream policy at the oil and gas trade group Burgum is working now for a president whose bid to return to the White House benefited from major donations tied to the oil and gas industry “We are cutting through unnecessary delays to fast-track the development of American energy and critical minerals,” Burgum said in a statement On Friday, Burgum told attendees at a Semafor conference that the Trump administration is “very confident” about withstanding lawsuits over its accelerated permitting plans. Many observers, however, expect legal challenges Burgum said the overhaul also includes reviews for geothermal hydro and any energy projects that would be considered baseload power The Trump administration has put out a series of orders, directives and memorandums highlighting fossil fuel development. A draft strategic plan from Interior, detailed last week by E&E News aims to “streamline” processes for developing coal which Burgum has often referred to as “assets.” The White House has defended Burgum’s performance Secretary Burgum is doing incredible work to advance American Energy Dominance and remove crippling red tape,” said Anna Kelly adding that Trump and Burgum “will continue their important economic and national security mission to unleash our country’s abundant natural resources.” The Western Organization of Resource Councils — which represents a group of community organizations — criticized the administration’s approach to energy policy “The country is producing far more oil and gas than it can use while experiencing a clean energy boom,” said Barbara Vasquez “It is clear that the administration is pandering to fossil fuel corporations already flush with tremendous wealth while denying Americans [a voice] — especially farmers and other rural Americans throughout the West most affected by fossil energy projects.” Between 2016 and 2023, while Burgum was governor of North Dakota, nameplate wind capacity in the state increased more than 50 percent, according to the Department of Energy’s statistical arm. As of January, coal-fired power plants made up nearly half of North Dakota’s net electricity generation, and non-hydro renewable sources made up roughly 40 percent of the mix, federal data showed An openness to wind generally reflects how Burgum was viewed when he became governor of the upper Midwestern state: as a supporter of many industries who saw value in the growing renewables sector But that is not the man some critics see today “I think he’s really kind of moved more towards supporting the petroleum and coal industries as Interior secretary than he [did] as the governor of North Dakota,” said Scott Skokos executive director of the Dakota Resource Council In the 2016 GOP primary in North Dakota, Burgum’s opponent for governor — who was attorney general at the time — received campaign donations from the state’s oil and gas industry, according to The Bismarck Tribune The attorney general and governor sit on the state’s Industrial Commission, which regulates oil and gas, so Burgum called that a conflict of interest. Still, during the general election, Burgum did receive donations from some oil executives, according to the Duluth News Tribune A spokesperson for Interior did not respond to a request for comment about Burgum’s position during the gubernatorial campaign in 2016 The North Dakota Petroleum Council also did not comment arguing it was approved “without sufficient analysis.” “He’s discriminating against one industry and not the other,” Skokos said Burgum was considered to be a friend of the wind industry and I don’t know that that would be the case as Interior secretary,” Skokos said “Now it seems that he has a bias toward just the fossil fuel industry.” Burgum’s growing skepticism of renewable energy coincides with his joining the Trump administration The American Clean Power Association did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier this month, the association called the administration’s halt of the construction on Empire Wind “the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda.” “We need streamlined permitting for all domestic energy resources,” the association’s CEO “Doubling back to reconsider permits after projects are under construction sends a chilling signal to all energy investment.” Trump has vigorously derided wind energy and sought to boost fossil fuel production to respond to what he’s labeled an energy “emergency,” though the U.S is already the world’s largest oil producer Burgum was asked about his view of renewable energy “I wouldn’t say that there’s any hostility towards renewables — there’s hostility or at least concern … that we’ve gone too far towards massive tax subsidies for sources of energy that are by definition intermittent,” he said An “outspoken proponent” of carbon capture and storage efforts The man who turned North Dakota into a “hub for innovation.” Those phrases have all been used to describe Burgum And, during his final week as governor in December, Burgum voted to approve injection permits for a large interstate CO2 pipeline project seeking to permanently store CO2 underneath the state What specific actions Burgum may end up taking on carbon capture as Interior secretary Burgum was governor for eight years and he’s been Interior secretary for about three months During his confirmation hearing in January, Burgum said carbon capture can be used to tackle fossil fuel emissions he applauded EPA’s decision to grant top regulatory authority over Class VI injection wells to the state of West Virginia — North Dakota was the first to get that designation The wells are used to send CO2 underground for geologic storage The White House also included a call out to CCS in its Earth Day message last week a move welcomed by groups like the Renewable Fuels Association Carbon capture is on “the list of strategies that this administration is very interested in pursuing when it comes to American energy dominance,” said Geoff Cooper Burgum hasn’t talked about carbon capture as much as fossil fuel production “If we want to solve the issue of CO2 — if that’s the last remaining issue — there are hundreds of ways to do that and in places like in my state of North Dakota we were doing carbon sequestration,” Burgum said One long-awaited rule that Interior has yet to release is a rulemaking for storing carbon dioxide off the United States’ coasts executive director of the Carbon Capture Coalition said the pro-CCS group looks forward to engaging with Burgum and Interior on permitting priorities and “clarifying regulatory pathways and procedures for carbon storage on public lands.” “This includes publishing and finalizing regulations authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act including issuing and finalizing regulations for carbon dioxide storage on the Outer Continental Shelf and providing further guidance for storing CO2 on federal lands,” Stolark said in a statement Thursday Annatoyn with Arnold & Porter said Interior is “clearly comfortable” unveiling major policy initiatives with speed so “it might be the case that we see really dramatic action” from Burgum on CCS The planned draft rule for CO2 storage on the Outer Continental Shelf is likely to be a complex piece of rulemaking Yesterday, Secretary Burgum joined Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday to discuss how mining rare earth minerals in the United States is critical to increasing electricity production and winning the AI arms race against China They also discussed government efficiency efforts in the Department of the Interior and how we are staffing up for peak season at our National Parks in anticipation for a great summer.  The Department of the Interior today published a factsheet created by the U.S Geological Survey showing prospective locations of critical minerals on the seafloor highlighting the future opportunity to source the minerals needed to support the nation’s economy and security from underwater lands belonging to the United States By Heather Richards | 04/30/2025 01:39 PM EDT The Trump administration’s energy czar said there should be “sovereign risk insurance” to cover the possibility a future administration could block mining or oil and gas projects Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (left) and Energy Secretary Chris Wright speak March 19 to reporters outside of the West Wing of the White House Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Wednesday the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council is mulling a plan to force the U.S government to pay a penalty to energy companies if a president cancels fossil fuel or mining projects “Future administrations should not be able to say with the stroke of a pen we’re going to kill this pipeline project,’ even though that company has $3 billion in the ground,” Burgum said at the Hill and Valley Forum in a nod to former President Joe Biden’s decision in 2021 to cancel a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline “We’re working on a plan at NEDC where we’ve got to have sovereign risk insurance — not against a foreign country but against our own,” he said Burgum continued: “If you put capital into a project that’s related to fossil fuels or a project related to critical minerals and mining … if somebody comes along in the future administration with an executive order if they want to wipe out what you’ve invested in they’ve got write you a check to pay you for your lost capital.” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky to spotlight the park’s geological and cultural significance while also highlighting the Department’s ongoing commitment to ensuring our National Parks remain open and ready for peak season this summer The Secretary participated in a guided cave tour of the site’s artifacts and monuments passing through famous cave areas like the Historic Entrance During the visit to the longest known cave system in the world, the Secretary was joined by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) as they met with Superintendent Barclay Trimble and the management team to discuss park significance and current project initiatives Tuesday’s visit took place during National Park Week which comes as the Department remains laser focused on guaranteeing our parks are accessible to the American public.  Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today directed the National Park Service to implement an Executive Order from President Donald J aimed at enhancing public safety and cleaning up NPS lands in the District of Columbia The new directives focus on revitalizing public spaces addressing crime and making the nation's capital both cleaner and safer for both residents and visitors The Department of the Interior today announced that the National Park Service has signed a new 10-year lease and right of way with Williams Transco for the continued use of historic hangars in the Floyd Bennett Field unit of Gateway National Recreation Area This agreement ensures these historically significant structures will be used for energy infrastructure providing a vital resource to New York City and demonstrating a responsible use of federal lands By Heather Richards | 04/23/2025 01:48 PM EDT has taken over the task of shrinking the department’s bureaucracy Department of the Interior headquarters in Washington on Aug Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last week raised the stakes of the Trump administration’s overhaul of that agency signing an order handing sweeping control of his department’s budget and workforce to an official affiliated with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency The order to consolidate Interior’s sprawling administrative functions across the country gives unprecedented power to Tyler Hassen a former oil field services company executive who was also a member of Elon Musk’s DOGE team who was recently named Interior’s named acting assistant secretary for policy started at the department as part of the DOGE strike force tasked with cutting the agency’s costs Hassen’s latest role also suggests that what began as an outside-of-agencies strategy to reshape the federal government is now an inside job “It’s the smarter path to follow,” said a former official in the first Trump administration who worked on Interior issues regarding Hassen’s official role within the department “I think the President recognizes that … maybe DOGE isn’t the best vehicle,” said the former Trump official who was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the agency’s internal deliberations maybe the best vehicle is actually putting people inside.” Musk, a polarizing figure that’s been the public face of the president’s massive downsizing of the federal government, said Tuesday he will reduce his role at DOGE calling the team’s work “mostly done.” But Hassen’s growing influence at Interior underscores the administration’s ongoing commitment to reshaping the department and repurposing the existing channels of power to do it Burgum last month named Hassen to his acting assistant secretary post at least temporarily giving him a key leadership position overseeing Interior’s budget shop IT and human resources that requires confirmation by the Senate President Donald Trump has not yet nominated someone for the job Interior defended Hassen’s role in a statement “The Secretary’s Order directs the [assistant secretary for policy management and budget] to ensure that President Donald J Trump’s executive order to restore accountability to the American public is carried out,” the statement said the Department will continue to prioritize retaining first responders parks services and energy production employees.” The order spells out that Hassen will lead the consolidation of staff who work in IT and grants in the various Interior agencies and bureaus across the country especially as it comes amid Interior’s plan to dramatically cut staff in keeping with the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink federal agencies Two Democratic appropriators who oversee Interior’s budget slammed the Hassen-led reorganization in a statement Tuesday night as hasty reckless and infringing on congressional authority “Given the Administration’s ongoing illegal funding freezes and other efforts to throw agencies into total chaos and paralyze the federal government we cannot take any such reorganization as a serious attempt to improve efficiency,” said Sen the ranking member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee the ranking member of the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Hassen has flown mostly under the radar even as he’s grown in influence within Interior Hassen held a series of executive roles at oil and gas services companies including at the Canadian company Wenzel Downhole Tools and Texas-based Basin Energy Hassen also formerly worked as an associate in the Global Energy Group at Morgan Stanley As part of an interview on Fox News in March with Musk and other members of the DOGE team Hassen cast his work for DOGE as “giving back to the country.” “I was running five businesses in Houston But Hassen’s prominence at Interior has unleashed a hail of criticism from environmental groups and Democrats who say DOGE is circumventing the authority of Burgum — who soared through confirmation with little Democratic pushback because he was viewed as a moderating force in the Trump circle he should quit now,” said Jennifer Rokala with the Center for Western Priorities in a statement Rokala accused Burgum of abdicating to Hassen and implied that DOGE now runs America’s public lands Interior shot back at the Center for Western Priorities in a statement characterizing the group as an “anti-Trump organization that advocates against practical and affordable energy development.” “It’s not surprising that they would join radical liberal groups in opposing government efficiency efforts that lower costs for the American people,” the statement said government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity who is often seen on conservative media or at the elbow of the president is unlike the more hands-on Interior secretaries of the first Trump administration was steeped in Interior policy and history “I don’t think he has much of his own agenda,” Hartl said of Burgum “He’ll do whatever DOGE and Musk demand of him.” who served in senior Interior political positions during the first Trump administration and that’s what Burgum is doing,” he said “I think it’s funny that people make it so complicated however the president decides to delegate power is how it goes This is how he’s decided to delegate power.” Burgum has been in lockstep with DOGE efforts in public statements since he was confirmed characterizing cost cutting as necessary to make the government more efficient “We’re completely embracing the DOGE effort,” he said in a February interview on Fox News calling the then-unnamed DOGE officials working at his agency evidence of transparent government “Part of what DOGE is bringing is just awareness to the republic Burgum’s affinity to DOGE is in contrast to some other Trump Cabinet members who have clashed with Musk’s crew Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went so far as to fire a DOGE staffer EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has voiced support for DOGE’s work but he has been more forthcoming about his views on overhauling that agency broadcasting specific targets that he wants met such as a 65 percent reduction of the EPA budget The former North Dakota governor who made a short-lived bid for the presidency in 2023 has shied away from providing details about administration’s plans for firings At an all-hands Interior meeting earlier this month the secretary encouraged staff to be “humble” and accept change but did not directly address looming layoffs “The goal is to make sure that we’re doing a great job at the task that we have and so there is no specific headcount number that we’re targeting,” Burgum said in a Wall Street Journal podcast earlier this month when pressed on cuts “What we’re targeting is the right balance between revenue and cost.” Interior has twice promoted a deferred resignation program tied to DOGE for federal employees that promises several months of pay to workers who agree to quit Interior staff have also been encouraged to take a voluntary retirement program The combined efforts to cut the size of the workforce voluntarily are preludes to a broader reduction in force that’s underway at the order by the president Those firings would begin a cutthroat process in which employees would have to compete against each other for remaining positions based on attributes like whether they are military veterans and the length of their service Burgum’s plan for layoffs has not been made public It’s also unclear how much the Hassen-led consolidation effort will shrink the agency’s ranks potentially making subsequent layoffs less severe But a White House document viewed by The Washington Post suggested the more than 60,000-strong Interior Department could see the elimination of one in four positions Hassen’s rise in the acting position could be seen as unsurprising given the slow pace of confirmations of top officials at Interior the agency’s top brass of deputy secretary top lawyer and other nominees for key positions have yet to clear the Hill management and budget is also likely the right home for the planned reorganization of the agency’s sweeping administrative and workforce services who served as Interior deputy secretary during the Obama and Clinton administrations said the person carrying out an administrative overhaul should be confirmed by the Senate it should be completed in consultation with That’s the point of having a Senate-confirmed job,” Hayes said Delegating official duties of a political post is common at the start of the administration But both the first Trump administration and the Biden administration faced criticism for pushing the limits of that practice The first Trump administration came under fire for repeatedly assigning William Perry Pendley as acting director of the Bureau of Land Management until a federal judge questioned the legality of his decision-making without Senate confirmation The Biden administration also faced heat for giving Laura Daniel-Davis who had been nominated to serve as assistant secretary of the Interior for land and minerals management a new title doing largely the same job after Republicans indefinitely delayed her confirmation as a protest of President Joe Biden’s energy policies Begins tenure as 55th Secretary of the Interior by setting vision for American Energy Dominance Date: Monday, February 3, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov Doug Burgum officially began his tenure as the 55th Secretary of the Interior marking the start of a new era focused on advancing American energy independence and ensuring the responsible stewardship of the nation’s public lands and resources Secretary Burgum met with Department leadership took immediate steps to streamline processes that will enhance efficiency and innovation across the Department and advanced President Trump's agenda by signing six Secretary's Orders to make America Energy Dominant “Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the Department of the Interior,” said Secretary Doug Burgum “We are committed to working collaboratively to unlock America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation we will ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our communities and drive innovation that will keep the U.S at the forefront of energy and environmental leadership.” growing and affordable supply of energy.”   Interior will immediately undertake two efforts to address our nation’s inadequate energy supply and protect against this active threat to the national and economic security of the American people Interior will immediately identify all emergency and legal authorities available to facilitate the identification exporting and generation of domestic energy resources and critical minerals the Department will identify all emergency and other legal authorities available to expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriate infrastructure The Secretary will report the use of such authorities and submit recommendations for exercising certain authorities as necessary to the President Secretary’s Order 3418 aligns the Department with President Trump’s energy policy to encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader and achieve energy dominance The order ensures the Department’s consistency with Executive Order 14154 “Unleashing American Energy” by immediately terminating all actions taken respecting the Executive Orders revoked by President Trump and a review of all agency actions that potentially burden the development of domestic energy resources The Secretary also directs a review of all appropriations from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure consistency with President Trump’s energy dominance policies In addition to reviewing burdensome energy development policies the order also directs a review of all domestic mining and processing of non-fuel minerals to restore America’s critical mineral dominance and takes steps to prioritize updating the U.S Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals and accelerating the ongoing geological mapping of the country The order will align the Department with the Trump administration’s Energy Dominance policies which include: “Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis,” mandates the Interior Department to take immediate steps that will reduce living costs for American families The order initiates a Department-wide review of all programs and regulations that are unnecessarily causing higher living costs for hardworking American families to identify and recommend future actions to lower costs Interior will focus on ways to eliminate harmful coercive climate policies and lower the cost of energy which in turn will restore purchasing power to the everyday American and improve overall quality of life “Initial Recissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions.” Furthermore Interior is immediately directed to resume taking all actions available to expedite the leasing of the OCS for oil and gas exploration and production The three withdrawals that have been revoked by President Trump’s order are: The Department will resume taking all actions available to expedite the leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf for oil and gas exploration and production enhance national security and improve the quality of life for U.S Interior will eliminate at least 10 existing regulations for every new one introduced and ensure that the costs of new regulations are offset by removing the costs of previous ones All of the Department’s bureaus and offices are tasked with streamlining financial management and reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens efficiently and effectively maximizing the development and production of the natural resources located on both federal and State lands within Alaska “National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska,” dated May 31 to prioritize the prudent development of natural resources in Alaska and beyond to ensure the Nation’s geopolitical security The Secretary directs an immediate review of all punitive restrictions that have targeted resource development in Alaska and requires the Interior Department to develop plans of action to carry out President Trump’s agenda for how Alaska can help make America Energy Dominant again As the Department of the Interior moves forward under Secretary Burgum’s leadership these initiatives set the foundation for a renewed focus on responsible resource management By advancing policies that honor America’s heritage while fostering innovation and sustainability the Department remains committed to serving the interests of the American people and strengthening the nation’s environmental and energy future Trump’s declaration of a National Energy Emergency Department of the Interior will implement emergency permitting procedures to accelerate the development of domestic energy resources and critical minerals The Department of the Interior today announced it generated over $39 million in total receipts from oil and gas lease sales held in the first quarter of 2025 – underscoring the Department’s continued commitment to responsible energy development on public lands and American Energy Dominance Burgum worked as a chimney sweep to help pay his way through North Dakota State University before earning an MBA from Stanford University Doug literally “bet the farm” to provide seed capital for a software startup called Great Plains Doug led Great Plains through a successful IPO and grew the company to over 2,000 employees before its acquisition by Microsoft Burgum remained with Microsoft for six years as the Senior Vice President of Business Solutions Doug later co-founded Arthur Ventures and served as chairman for international software companies including Atlassian Burgum was elected to serve as North Dakota’s 33rd Governor North Dakota passed the largest tax cut in state history and dramatically reduced red tape Forbes named him “America’s Best Entrepreneurial Governor.” During his tenure North Dakota experienced the highest growth in real GDP and had the lowest unemployment rate in the country a nationally recognized advocate for addiction recovery Trump's directive to secure the southern border This withdrawal and land transfer announcement allows the Department of the Army to partner with U.S Border Patrol to increase regular patrols and construct infrastructure to prevent unlawful entry The visit highlights the Department of the Interior's commitment to ensuring the security of the American people and the protection of our public lands Trump’s directive to accelerate domestic critical mineral production the Department of the Interior is taking steps to streamline permitting processes and improve federal accountability by working with Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to add critical minerals infrastructure projects to the FAST-41 program The Department of the Interior will no longer require the Bureau of Land Management to prepare an environmental impact statement for approximately 3,244 oil and gas leases in seven Western states The Department of the Interior is reaffirming its commitment to the Trump administration’s goal of American Energy Dominance with a renewed focus on coal Through an Executive Order by President Donald J the Department will implement a series of bold policy moves and regulatory reforms to position coal as a cornerstone of the nation’s energy strategy by ensuring federally managed lands remain open and accessible for responsible energy development Date: March 20, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov Washington – Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is taking immediate steps to unleash Alaska’s untapped natural resource potential and support President Donald J Trump’s vision of American Energy Dominance the Bureau of Land Management will pursue steps to expand opportunities for exploration and development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge The BLM will also work towards partial revocation of public land withdrawals that will help solidify the path forward for the proposed Ambler Road and Alaska Liquified Natural Gas Pipeline projects to embrace Alaska’s abundant and largely untapped resources as a pathway to prosperity for the nation including Alaskans,” said Secretary Burgum the federal government has created too many barriers to capitalizing on the state’s energy potential Interior is committed to recognizing the central role the State of Alaska plays in meeting our nation’s energy needs while providing tremendous economic opportunity for Alaskans.” In this initial suite of actions to implement Executive Order 14153 and Secretary’s Order 3422 both titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” the Interior and BLM will pursue: President Trump committed to unlocking Alaska’s abundant supply of natural resources for the benefit of Alaskans and the nation providing economic and national security for many generations to come Interior is set to deliver on the President’s promise Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum toured two Warrior Met Coal steelmaking coal facilities in Alabama to emphasize President Donald J Trump’s executive order this week increasing American coal production and lifting regulations on the vital industry The Secretary began his tour at Mine 4 North one of the company’s active underground operations with two longwall systems in Tuscaloosa he traveled with company executives to Blue Creek Mine in Berry for a windshield tour of the underground longwall mining project Secretary Burgum is displaying the importance of President Trump’s executive orders which are Unleashing American Energy and putting hardworking Americans first Friday’s visit highlights the Department of the Interior’s continued focus on bolstering domestic coal production to create more jobs and unlock more of our nation’s critical resources Date: March 31, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today directed the National Park Service to implement an Executive Order from President Donald J addressing crime and making the nation's capital both cleaner and safer for both residents and visitors President Trump’s Executive Order, Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful mandates a comprehensive approach to improving the condition of federal parks controlled by the National Park Service including beautification efforts such as graffiti removal and enhanced park maintenance The order also includes provisions to assist local law enforcement in their efforts to address public safety concerns particularly violent crime and issues related to homelessness stands as a powerful symbol of our nation's unity and strength and it is essential that we safeguard its beauty while ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents," said Secretary Burgum we are following President Trump’s directive to clean up our National Park Service lands and ensure the safety of this great city These actions will help improve the experience for those who call D.C as well as the millions who visit our nation's capital each year." The directive also strengthens the commitment to protect national monuments as outlined in a previous directive from the Trump administration the Department of the Interior will prioritize the restoration of public spaces focusing on iconic areas like the National Mall and surrounding monuments which are vital to the city’s identity and to American history The Department of the Interior will coordinate closely with federal local and law enforcement agencies to implement the plan efficiently ensuring that the necessary resources are in place for successful execution The clean-up and beautification efforts will directly support the broader goal of revitalizing D.C and reinforcing its status as a national city celebrated around the nation Actions will restore coal industry’s role in powering the economy protecting jobs and strengthening national energy security  Date: April 8, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior is reaffirming its commitment to the Trump administration’s goal of American Energy Dominance with a renewed focus on coal the Department will implement a series of bold policy moves and regulatory reforms to position coal as a cornerstone of the nation’s energy strategy by ensuring federally managed lands remain open and accessible for responsible energy development.  Mine’ for clean American coal,” said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum “Interior is unlocking America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation.”  In support of the Trump administration's pursuit of Energy Dominance, the Department is actively working to revitalize the coal mining industry through a series of decisive actions. By expanding access to coal reserves, such as the recent approval of the Spring Creek mine expansion in Montana the administration is removing long-standing regulatory barriers that have undermined American coal production These efforts support high-paying mining jobs and rural economies energy independence by reducing reliance on foreign energy sources stable and diversified American energy portfolio.  The Department will officially end its moratorium on federal coal leasing a move that aligns with President Trump’s priority of “Unleashing American Energy” by reducing regulatory barriers and promoting energy independence.  the status of actions related to a federal coal leasing moratorium has been left unclear President Obama’s Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell ordered the BLM to pause coal leasing on public lands while the BLM completed an environmental review President Biden’s Secretary Deb Haaland rescinded Zinke’s order but did not reinstate the coal leasing moratorium or environmental review a federal appeals court ruled that the 2021 Haaland order reversed the Zinke order The court said all actions after the Haaland order were moot and ordered all other court cases dismissed To provide clarity and certainty to the nation the Bureau of Land Management is publishing a notice in the Federal Register that it will not perform an environmental impact statement or any other environmental analysis of the federal coal leasing program connected to an order from former Secretary Sally Jewell effectively and finally ending the last remaining open item related to the leasing moratorium.  the BLM will pursue the amendment process to the Buffalo and Miles City resource managements plans in Wyoming and Montana making it much harder for new federal coal projects to get off the ground these plans could significantly reduce the availability of federal coal reserves in two of the country’s biggest coal-producing regions Interior would create a path forward to access untapped federal coal reserves especially in high-production areas like the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.  In accordance with Secretary’s Order 3418, Unleashing American Energy the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement will undertake a rulemaking process to revise the Ten-Day Notice Rule of 2024 to largely revert to the 2020 version of the rule while retaining certain portions of the 2024 rule This rule making process will help reduce burdensome federal oversight and give more power to the states on how to handle complaints about coal mining violations By removing some of federal overreach of the 2024 rule the Department will trust states to do their jobs while avoiding unnecessary federal interference and providing stability to the coal industry The Department is poised to streamline and speed up the process for reviewing coal producers’ requests to temporarily lower the amount they pay the federal government for extracting coal from public lands Lower royalty rates can help keeps mines open and maintain local tax revenue Interior aims to make it easier for coal operators to stay in business which supports stable domestic energy production and maximizes long-term resource recovery from federal lands.   As the Department works through the actions above to support the coal industry by continuing to roll back unnecessary regulatory burdens Interior will advance responsible coal development high-paying job creation and long-term energy security by opening access to America’s vast energy resources.  Date: April 18, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to initiate the first step in a robust public engagement process to develop a new schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales on the U.S “Launching the process to develop the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Program marks a decisive step toward securing American Energy Dominance,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum “Through a transparent and inclusive public engagement process we are reinforcing our commitment to responsible offshore energy development—driving job creation bolstering economic growth and strengthening American energy independence we are unlocking the full potential of our offshore resources to benefit the American people for generations to come.”  BOEM will soon publish in the Federal Register a Request for Information and Comments on the preparation of the 11th National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program This publication will initiate a 45-day public comment period and serve as the initial step in the multi-year planning process.  BOEM’s jurisdiction on the OCS has recently changed A new planning area offshore Alaska—the High Arctic—is being established as the 27th OCS planning area boundaries of other existing planning areas are being updated to align with BOEM’s revised jurisdiction Details on these changes will be included in a forthcoming Federal Register notice and posted to BOEM’s website.  As mandated by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act the Department of the Interior must solicit input from interested and affected parties during development of the National OCS Program BOEM will request information on all OCS planning areas at this initial stage.  the 11th National OCS Program will replace the current 10th Program (2024–2029) which includes just three lease sales over five years—all located in the Gulf of America While BOEM continues work to complete those sales development of the 11th Program will proceed concurrently.  The RFI does not propose a specific timeline for future lease sales or make any early determinations regarding which areas may be included it invites stakeholders to provide insight and recommendations for leasing opportunities raise concerns and identify other existing uses that may be affected by offshore leasing.  playing a critical role in America’s energy security BOEM manages 2,227 active oil and gas leases covering approximately 12.1 million acres in OCS regions 469 leases are currently producing oil and gas.  These leases generate billions of dollars in revenue for the U.S Treasury and state governments while supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs production from OCS leases accounted for approximately 14% of domestic oil production and 2% of domestic natural gas production yielding $7 billion in federal revenues.  the OCS holds vast quantities of undiscovered energy resources BOEM’s most recent assessment estimates a mean of 68.79 billion barrels of oil and 229.03 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.  President Trump’s Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” underscores the national interest in maximizing the use of affordable policy to "encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future.”  Earlier this year, the Trump administration reaffirmed its commitment to offshore energy development. On April 4, 2025, Secretary Burgum directed BOEM to move forward with a lease sale in the Gulf of America.  Energy Dominance remains a cornerstone of U.S the United States is ensuring affordable energy for consumers and reducing dependence on foreign adversaries the Department of the Interior is cutting red tape For more information about BOEM’s National OCS Program, visit: www.boem.gov/national-program.  Secretary Doug Burgum toured Range Resources’ frac site in Washington County Pennsylvania where he discussed how President Trump’s executive orders are driving domestic energy growth and cutting costs for American consumers the Secretary participated in a tour of the company’s pad site and held a roundtable discussion with regional energy executives gaining valuable insights into the challenges and successes they are experiencing in the area He concluded his visit by speaking to nearly 400 local energy workers about the Department of the Interior’s agenda to increase energy production and foster innovation in the industry Date: March 17, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov “This land transfer is a significant step toward strengthening tribal sovereignty and empowering the Spirit Lake Nation to use its trust lands for economic growth and community well-being,” said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum the Trump administration has been committed to fostering self-determination and expanding opportunities for tribal nations we are honoring the Spirit Lake Nation’s deep connection to their homeland and ensuring they have the resources needed to build a stronger future.” The administrative transfer marks the culmination of a many decades' long effort by the Spirit Lake Nation and reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty and enhancing the quality of life for Indigenous people "The return of 680 acres to the Spirit Lake Tribe marks a historic victory and an important milestone in our healing and reconciliation journey,” said Spirit Lake Tribe Chairperson Lonna Jackson-Street symbolizes both our history and our present as Native American people every acre returned is a testament to the dedication and efforts of our tribal leadership who have worked tirelessly to make this achievement possible "I would like to extend our gratitude to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the General Services Administration for their support in this process The returned lands may potentially be utilized for the expansion of a new health center and we are actively working on moving these lands into trust status This victory stands as a powerful reminder of our resilience and commitment to our future generations." The 680 acres will remain titled in the name of the United States of America held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation protections and limitations to land held in trust by the United States on behalf of an individual American Indian or a tribe This land was initially transferred from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1959 to grow hay for feeding bison in the winter at the nearby White Horse Hill National Game Preserve Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is taking immediate steps to unleash Alaska’s untapped natural resource potential and support President Donald J The property is two condos combined into one the penthouse has two levels and two patios that overlook Broadway Fargo property records show the condo was built in 2007 and that Burgum owns it The city has appraised the condo at $959,800 Burgum has another home near Fargo that is not listed for sale will "remain North Dakota residents and steadfast champions of the state and its people." civic groups and the city itself who continue to advance this important mission for the benefit of the entire metro area and the state of North Dakota," Burgum said in the statement The 300 Broadway building was part of an effort by Burgum and his real estate development company who was also the CEO for Great Plains Software before selling the company to Microsoft in 2001 for $1.1 billion Kilbourne is one of the most active developers in downtown Fargo as well as The Landing at 1001 NP and Roberts Commons Burgum was a minority stakeholder for the project Investors expect the completed properties to be sold in 10 to 12 years The .gov means it's official.Official North Dakota websites will end in .gov The site is secure.The https:// ensures that you're connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and sent securely The State of North Dakota provides automatic translation for nd.gov websites that the English language version is considered the most accurate In the event of a disagreement or discrepancy between the translation and the original English version of this web site or any notice or disclaimer BISMARCK, N.D. – President-elect Donald Trump today officially announced that he has nominated North Dakota Gov Secretary of the Interior and chairman of the newly formed National Energy Council a Cabinet-level agency that manages the nation’s natural and cultural resources The department employs approximately 70,000 employees in 11 technical bureaus: the National Park Service Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement The department provides access to more than 500 million acres of public lands and 1.7 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf Department of the Interior is an incredible honor and an enormous responsibility and I’m deeply grateful to President Trump for this opportunity to serve the American people in such a broad capacity,” Burgum said “Serving as Interior Secretary is an opportunity to redefine and improve upon the federal government’s relationship with tribal nations with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” The new National Energy Council will consist of all departments and agencies involved in the permitting regulation and transportation of all forms of American energy Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council “The National Energy Council will foster an unprecedented level of coordination among federal agencies to advance American energy drive down costs for consumers and generate billions in revenue to help reduce our deficit,” Burgum said “Focusing on innovation over regulation to solve the nation’s challenges will allow us to smartly expand American energy and make our world cleaner and safer by selling energy to our friends and allies versus them having to buy it from our adversaries.” Burgum will be the first native North Dakotan to lead a U.S Department of Agriculture in 2008-2009 under President George W Two other North Dakotans have served in a president’s Cabinet: President Gerald Ford appointed former Bismarck mayor and Kintyre native Tom Kleppe as Interior Secretary in 1975 and President Bill Clinton appointed Scranton native Warren Christopher as Secretary of State in 1993.  State of North Dakota600 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck ND 58505-0100Phone: 701.328.2200  Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum will travel to give remarks and tour Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG export facility in Plaquemines Parish Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum will travel to Plaquemines Parish Louisiana on Thursday to give remarks and tour Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG export facility The visit highlights the Trump administration's energy dominance agenda and achievements President Trump and the Department of Energy ended the Biden ban on new LNG export approvals sending a signal to the world that American energy dominance is back The Plaquemines LNG export facility was approved by President Trump in 2019 and is the newest LNG Export facility to come online in the United States Secretaries Wright and Burgum will join Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel and other officials for a press availability Media wishing to attend should RSVP to doenews@hq.doe.gov and press@venturegloballng.com Who:  Secretary of Energy Chris Wright             Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum             Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry             Mike Sabel             Additional stakeholders and officials to be announced               11:00 am CT RSVP no later than 4 pm CST // 5 pm ET on Wednesday By Heather Richards | 04/25/2025 01:34 PM EDT The White House is exploring where it can abolish or greatly reduce the size of national monuments designated by Democratic presidents Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks with a reporter outside the West Wing of the White House on April 10 Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Friday downplayed the Trump administration’s plan to shrink half a dozen national monuments in Arizona who also serves as chair of President Donald Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council said during an interview that Interior is complying with the president’s executive order to assess whether the nation’s existing national monuments are the “appropriate size” but said the White House was focused on other priorities “We’ll go through a thorough review and whatever that timeline lays out but this is not … a top priority of the administration in terms of all the things we’ve got to face,” he said when pressed for the timing during Semafor’s World Economy Summit on Friday The three-bedroom, four-bathroom penthouse at 300 Broadway N. is about 3,200 square feet and listed for $1.9 million The property also includes a rooftop patio overlooking downtown with a fire pit and outdoor kitchen Fargo property records say the condo was built in 2007 and list Burgum as its owner In late January, Burgum, 68, joined President Donald Trump's administration when the Senate confirmed him as interior secretary Burgum ran for president, then joined the Trump administrationBurgum made a brief run at the presidency ahead of the 2024 election, during which he notably participated in a Republican primary debate in Milwaukee after tearing his Achilles tendon while playing basketball This story has been updated to include updated information By Benjamin Storrow | 04/16/2025 05:48 PM EDT The move elicited a sharp rebuke from New York Gov who vowed to “fight this every step of the way.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum arrives for an April 8 event at the White House Interior Secretary Doug Burgum halted construction of a major offshore wind farm off New York on Wednesday in a marked escalation of President Donald Trump’s fight against offshore wind Burgum said in a post on X that he had directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management He wrote that the Biden administration had permitted the 810-megawatt project “without sufficient analysis.” @POTUS called for comprehensive reviews of federal wind projects and wind leasing we are doing our part to make sure these instructions are followed,” he wrote Trump has targeted offshore wind since returning to the White House but Wednesday’s announcement is by far the most significant action his administration has taken to stop the industry such as halting new leases and permits in a Day 1 executive order, largely affected projects that were in the very early phases of development and already faced an uncertain future due to economic pressures the Trump administration is taking the unusual step of attempting to reverse an already permitted project that is actively moving forward It sets the stage for a massive battle with New York state which has made offshore wind a central part of its plan to slash climate pollution and meet growing energy demand Empire Wind is unique in that it plans to plug directly into New York City’s famously congested power gird delivering carbon-free electrons directly to America’s most populous city Burgum’s announcement produced a fiery rebuke from New York Gov who accused the Trump administration of “federal overreach.” “I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs affordable energy and New York’s economic future,” Hochul said in a statement the Norwegian oil giant building Empire Wind made the decision to go forward with the project last year after a series of setbacks The project’s costs ballooned in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine which exacerbated existing supply chain constraints and forced Equinor to renegotiate its power contract with New York state Equinor did not immediately respond to a request to comment Empire Wind is one of five offshore wind projects along the East Coast in varying degrees of construction an 800-MW project serving Massachusetts; Revolution Wind a 704-MW project serving Connecticut and Rhode Island; Sunrise Wind a 924-MW project serving New York; and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind It was not clear if the stop-work order would extend to those projects An Interior spokesperson referred a reporter to Burgum’s social media post an analyst who tracks the industry at ClearView Energy Partners said he would be surprised if Empire Wind is the only project targeted by Burgum “President Trump made his staunch opposition to wind turbines clear on day one,” Fox said “We think the Administration may similarly halt other projects” that are not in advanced stages of development Revolution and CVOW have all begun foundation installation Vineyard and Revolution have also started installing turbines By Heather Richards | 04/25/2025 01:43 PM EDT The Interior secretary frequently talks about an idea that he says could help tackle the national debt crisis Illustration by Claudine Hellmuth/POLITICO (source images via Francis Chung/POLITICO Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has a simple fix for the billions of dollars in interest the U.S is forking over each year to its creditors: leverage public lands In interviews and speeches since taking his post in January the former North Dakota governor has argued the government needs to ink an exhaustive inventory of federal land and all the mineral wealth they contain Creditors would be wowed by the value of Interior “assets” — like lithium and copper on public lands — or the vast unexplored reserves of oil and gas found offshore “Our national assets far exceed the $36.5 trillion in debt,” Burgum elaborated at an oil industry conference “Just showing the markets what that number is would probably reduce the 10-year If the Interior Department was a stand-alone company Burgum said to the crowd of oil executives it would have the “largest balance sheet in the world.” Burgum’s crusade positions public lands at the center of a larger Trump administration promise that running the government more like a business will reap tremendous economic rewards It runs alongside Burgum and President Donald Trump’s pledge to slash the size of government and raise revenues by unleashing a “drill But Burgum’s balance sheet proposal doesn’t reflect the financial realities of the U.S the concept of tapping assets to lower interest rates suggests the U.S would offer its public lands as collateral potentially allowing foreign entities the right to seize federal government property if the country doesn’t meet its obligations an economics professor at Harvard University with a focus on energy said the balance sheet proposal sounds “logical” but isn’t It is not how it works with the United States,” Stock said The federal government does indeed boast an enviable portfolio of public lands — Interior alone oversees 500 million acres and manages 700 million acres of subsurface mineral rights Burgum’s mused assets could add up to anywhere from $100 trillion to $200 trillion shrinking interest rates could take a bite out of the $800 billion in debt interest the U.S That’s about the same amount the government spent on Medicare the health insurance program for senior citizens and one of the federal government’s largest mandatory expenses wealth and rates are related: show the country’s assets and interest rates across the board will start tumbling these guys got it covered and they have a plan on how to pay down this debt and they are actually in really good shape,’” he said last month How Burgum’s idea would play out amid Trump’s on-again and the tumult they have triggered in the financial markets But here are four things to know about Burgum and his balance sheet A comprehensive accounting of the United States’ physical assets “There isn’t a good balance sheet here in Washington, D.C.,” Burgum said in a Wall Street Journal podcast earlier this month What’s all the offshore worth?'” But experts noted that the U.S. does have an extensive balance sheet. It’s part of the Financial Report of the U.S. Government compiled and published every year by the Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget and it also lists assets,” said Doug Holtz-Eakin a Republican budget hawk who led the CBO during the George W He is now president of conservative research firm American Action Forum The Treasury report may not be exactly what Burgum has in mind — it doesn’t But Holtz-Eakin said figuring out the value of the land owned by the federal government is a difficult task How does a country estimate the monetary value of a place like the Grand Canyon the government’s most powerful “asset” is the power to tax businesses and citizens Holtz-Eakin said he had been part of several efforts over the last two decades to improve the U.S but there is little room for improvement because of these complexities The government also often accounts for its mineral wealth has regularly updated detailed estimates of offshore oil and natural gas resources since 1975 Burgum is right that the federal valuation of what is available likely falls short Geological Survey’s central responsibilities is mapping the nation’s vast resources “A lot of our critical minerals we haven’t mined much especially in recent decades,” said Colin Williams the USGS mineral resources program coordinator The agency is currently mapping the U.S. for those critical minerals through the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative or “Earth MRI,” which was launched during the first Trump term and given a funding boost during the Biden administration USGS now has roughly 36 percent of the country mapped for minerals using modern techniques with one year left of supplemental funding assuming the Trump administration’s broad government funding cuts don’t target the program with a focus on making sure that we can get relevant information on those resources in a timely fashion for the administration,” Williams said debt creates an enormous expense for the country in yearly interest payments But why would a public “balance sheet” change those numbers Stock said Burgum isn’t making a “crazy argument.” “All he’s saying is that if you’re a really trustworthy because you’ve got lots of other assets to back you up when you take out your home loan and that sort of thing then you’re going to get lower interest rates,” he said But a critical difference between private companies or individuals and the U.S government is that companies and people sign contracts in which their assets can be seized or sold for nonpayment government does not enter into those agreements “Forty percent of the [U.S.] debt is held by foreigners that means we’re giving them the legal right to come and seize our public land,” Stock said “It is hard to imagine any sort of asset transaction that’s going to fundamentally alter global capital markets’ view of the U.S Trump and congressional Republicans are trying to extend sweeping tax cuts inked during the first Trump administration Burgum’s plan for Interior calls for dramatically increasing the revenues brought into federal coffers from developing the energy potential of public lands from oil drilling to mining to geothermal expansion Stock said ramping up production and taking in more money is certainly possible Energy revenues from federal lands and waters in fiscal year 2024 brought in $16 billion a fraction of the $800 billion interest paid that year The Trump administration could maybe double energy income through laxer regulations to boost production and by increasing royalty rates but to increase the income by many magnitudes is “beyond credulity,” Stock said Slashing regulations is a strategy the administration has already started Burgum signed a suite of secretarial orders shortly after taking office promising to unleash U.S review onerous regulations and potentially pare them back But it seems unlikely this administration would raise royalty rates The Trump administration has threatened to roll back anti-oil policies in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which increased royalty rates for oil and gas on federal lands for the first time since 1920 Meanwhile, despite increased interest in mining, the push to impose royalties on hardrock mining on public lands has repeatedly landed with a thud on Capitol Hill Private companies currently pay no royalties to the government on minerals like gold and silver if they are dug up on federal land The limitations on the government’s ability to increase energy revenues have raised worries among conservationists that Burgum aims to sell public lands That move would both gin up new cash and cut the cost of managing land Burgum has not explored the sale of public lands in interviews, and Interior did not respond to a request for Burgum’s position. Sales could be on the table under this administration, as leading Republican lawmakers are currently mulling sales to help pay for a massive budget reconciliation bill to advance Trump’s agenda Burgum’s pitch has been for land exchanges or transfers to state ownership as cost savings He’s also insisted his desire to unleash the productivity of U.S lands does not mean eroding cherished landscapes like national parks “No one should be concerned about us exploiting the public lands,” he said on the Wall Street Journal podcast noting his efforts with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify public lands that could be used for affordable housing “But if we have an opportunity to get land back into the hands of states and let states manage it as opposed to the federal that’s also a way for us to reduce costs.” who co-authored a recent Center for American Progress report on how Trump’s order to create a sovereign wealth fund could be funded by the sale of public lands conceded that Burgum is not likely looking to sell the crown jewels of the Interior Department But she said Burgum could target national monument land and other federal properties “I think there are plenty of landscapes out there that are treasured and have really strong values for people and for wildlife that Burgum is talking about,” she said a Republican Utah state representative and a leading voice in favor of state management of public lands said it’s time for Interior to let states take over While he hasn’t spoken to this administration Ivory said he thinks they could help bring about this massive shift “Land is only a liability to the federal government it’s the greatest asset you can have,” he said But Ivory doesn’t think the state should pay for the land — blunting any idea that land sales would be huge revenue drivers Quite the opposite: Ivory believes states like his are likely owed for all the years they missed out on tax revenue that instead went to the U.S But he echoed Burgum in thinking state ownership would save the country money “The revenue … is not in the selling of the land The revenue is in the productivity of the land,” he said Contact Heather Richards on the Signal at @h_richards.99 Date: April 4, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to hold the next scheduled oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of America America’s Outer Continental Shelf contains a significant source of oil and gas for the nation’s energy supply and BOEM’s latest estimates of technically recoverable oil and gas resources in undiscovered fields in the Gulf of America include 29.59 billion barrels of oil and 54.84 trillion cubic feet of gas we will not leave our critical energy resources locked up when so many Americans are suffering through the unnecessarily high cost of living imposed by the previous administration,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said “Unleashing America’s energy resources will lower prices at the pump at the grocery store and across all aspects of American life while strengthening our national security.”    Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activities generate billions of dollars from lease sales as well as states through several different revenue sharing programs that fund conservation and outdoor recreation across the nation The largest portion goes to the General Fund of the U.S citizens through funding of daily operations of the federal government Offshore development fuels state and federal revenues BOEM anticipates publishing a proposed notice of sale in June 2025.  Energy independence is a cornerstone of U.S boosting American energy independence and reducing reliance on unstable foreign producers By continuing to expand offshore capabilities the United States ensures affordable energy for consumers strengthens domestic industry and reinforces its role as an energy superpower Under the Trump administration’s leadership Interior is taking a leading role in securing Energy Dominance for the United States Opening the Outer Continental Shelf is central to this strategy as it unleashes domestic energy potential that had been blocked under the previous administration Expanded Outer Continental Shelf leasing will generate tens of thousands of high-paying jobs – from exploration and production to service and supply chains Heather Richards | 04/24/2025 01:34 PM EDT The strategic plan that outlines the department’s goals for 2026 to 2030 targets national monuments and promotes “assets” like fossil fuel production Interior Secretary Doug Burgum arrives Monday on the South Lawn of the White House Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wants to marshal his agency to speed production of oil and gas on public lands cut regulations and “right-size” national monuments according to a draft strategic plan viewed by POLITICO’s E&E News The draft document calls for targeting “our National assets for the benefit of the American people” by and gas” with “faster and easier permitting.” Interior aspires to “streamline processes,” with the goal of also ramping up “revenues from grazing The working plan offers a look at how Burgum who is also chair of President Donald Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council is running an agency whose day-to-day business of overseeing public lands has been overshadowed by the White House’s efforts to cajole pressure or force a historic downsizing of the federal workforce leaning on Trump’s declaration of an “energy emergency.” By Benjamin Storrow | 04/30/2025 01:39 PM EDT An executive with the Norwegian energy giant said the administration still has not released details on why it halted work on a New York wind farm Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks with a reporter April 10 outside the West Wing of the White House Equinor executives described as “unlawful” the Trump administration’s decision earlier this month to halt work on a New York offshore wind project And they said it raised questions about the U.S government’s willingness to honor permits Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced a stop work order for Empire Wind I the federal government still has not communicated the reason it halted work on the 54-turbine project Equinor Chief Financial Officer Torgrim Reitan told analysts “The situation around the Empire is both extraordinary and unprecedented and we see it as sort of an unlawful act by the U.S and we will treat it as that,” Reitan said “We have permits and approvals dating back one year ago And we have always assumed that the United States of America will honor contracts and permits they have issued.” Burgum has said the decision is based on findings from an investigation from scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a division of the Commerce Department that regulates the fishing industry and consults on offshore wind permits But the Interior Department has yet to release those findings or spell out exactly what NOAA found Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum joined more than a thousand American energy workers at Venture Global’s Plaquemine LNG Export facility to highlight the impacts of President Trump’s energy agenda both leaders of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) today joined more than a thousand American energy workers at Venture Global’s Plaquemine LNG Export facility to highlight the impacts of President Trump’s energy agenda The secretaries joined Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel in delivering remarks before touring the facility and speaking to the press Sabel announced today that Venture Global would be making an additional $18 billion expansion to the Plaquemine LNG Export facility – making the facility the largest in the United States Less than 50 days into the Trump administration American energy companies are producing more energy here in the U.S and bolstering America’s national security remarks from Secretary Wright and Burgum are below: I could not be more humbled and proud to stand among you today God bless what you do today and what you do every day even putting his own life at risk to go back to Washington to become our president again He brought back common sense with a simple agenda unleash American energy He knows that energy is not one sector of the economy It's the sector of the economy that enables everything else They're not getting built in a lot of places This governor of Louisiana has allowed a flourishing in the Louisiana Gulf Coast and across the state Louisiana today exports more LNG than every state in the United States That that that bar is going to be raised even higher because in the next several years Louisiana will become a larger exporter of liquefied natural gas than any nation on Earth You could be your own country and be number one The United States 15 years ago was the largest importer of natural gas in the world And with bold entrepreneurs and leadership like President Trump the United States is the largest net exporter of natural gas in the world and growing strong What's the fastest growing source of energy on the planet by far is natural gas The fastest growing sense source of energy in the planet is natural gas The largest producer of natural gas on the planet is the United States And so hence we're growing our exports because of your work we’re going to increase the prosperity of America increase the opportunities for Americans and for the citizens of the world It's going to make fertilizer so farmers can grow more food and feed everyone It's by far the largest source of electricity in the United States They allow us to have a modern world and live these wonderful lives we live And that only happens with hard working people like you I cannot overstate how important what you're doing is and how aligned it is with the agenda of President Donald Trump He wants to lower our cost and expand opportunities for Americans empowered America is not just good for Americans God bless America and God bless President Trump You've heard from the great speakers up here But we're celebrating today American innovation I stand here before you humbled because I can't think of anything more patriotic There's no place I'd rather be than here looking at all of you standing here among this maybe we can do something that's never been done before Maybe we can invent a new way to think about how we want to process natural gas And it was a couple of guys just sitting around a table that came up with the idea of Venture Global now is going to be one of the most important and influential energy companies in the world That happens in our country only when we get the government out of the way One of our pathways to energy dominance is just unleashing the incredible resources that we have in this country getting the federal government off the back of the worker and so that everybody can do the amazing work and build projects like this But I also said today is a day of gratitude And I want to bring a message from President Trump to all of you because President Trump fights for all of you every day This guy didn't take a day off for the last 90 days before the election He just started jamming all the way through to January 20th he's gotten more done than any president in the history of the United States ever has in their first month and a half Think about the best football team ever assembled The President Trump is the team owner and he's the manager and he's playing quarterback and he's running a no huddle offense And everybody that's working for him has got to scramble back to the line for the next play because we're just going that fast every single day And one of the things that we're here today The prior administration had a full-on attack against U.S They literally were stopping the permitting the money to come together to build something like this And you know what that did that hurt every American and it helped our adversaries President Trump is fighting for you every day And he's fighting because he believes in the we have U.S They're funding those wars against us with energy production With a facility like this where we can sell LNG around the world tell yourselves you're just not doing a job building the most amazing The biggest construction project in North America And the other thing you're also doing is you're building prosperity here at home for everybody that's here And you're going to say it with me because with energy dominance part of our job is to cut red tape And the other is we got to get more things flowing through those pipes heading towards Louisiana We're going to get critical minerals going we're stop buying critical minerals from China and we get the US Geological Survey going back and actually discovering all the resources we have on America's balance sheet Our assets could be 3 to 5 times more than that But we don't even know that because we've stopped looking for all the resource assets in this country And we're going to become an energy powerhouse we're going to bring inflation down for you and your families prosperity in America and world peace abroad How exciting is it to be here with all of you a message of gratitude for President Trump to you Nothing more patriotic than American worker that's working to build energy dominance for this country And it certainly helps your kids and your grandkids a big thank you from President Trump and a big thank you to the innovators and entrepreneurs that built this place and came up with the idea I will say one thing when you're doing when we're doing this today "Many of you shared your disappointment and frustration with that decision pointing out she's only been REI president since March 31 "Let me be clear: Signing that letter was a mistake." "The actions that the administration has taken on public lands are completely at odds with the longstanding values of REI While this happened before I arrived at the co-op I am here today to apologize to our members on behalf of REI to retract our endorsement of Doug Burgum and to take full accountability for how we move forward," she said While few of Burgum's actions can come as a surprise considering Trump's and Republicans' hostility toward public lands and their rhetoric about oil drilling and mining the administration's direction has alarmed outdoors advocates Trump's administration has fired thousands of workers in national parks implemented across-the-board spending freezes and delayed seasonal hiring Burgum co-wrote a Wall Street Journal column calling for the sale of public lands to create affordable housing "Our public lands are under attack," Laughton said "From the gutting of national park staff to expanded threats of drilling or even selling off our public lands the future of life outdoors has never been as uncertain." Laughton said REI joined a new coalition called Brands for Public Lands which will be led by the Conservation Alliance Other large outdoors retailers such as Patagonia and Black Diamond are also part of the coalition we call for the Department of the Interior to be transparent and to consult the public on major decisions that affect our public land," Laughton said we call on Congress to prevent the large-scale sell-off of our public lands." Laughton said REI will make a re-commitment to endorsing policies instead of people The company operates about 180 stores in 41 states There are several locations in the Twin Cities Kelly Armstrong released the following statement today after the U.S making him the second North Dakotan to hold the position Armstrong reached out to Burgum to congratulate him on his confirmation “The strong support Governor Burgum received throughout the confirmation process speaks volumes about his unique qualifications to serve as Secretary of the Interior,” Armstrong said national parks and other public lands makes him the right person at the right time to lead the Department of the Interior which touches every aspect of our lives in North Dakota responsible development of our nation’s abundant natural resources is key to curbing inflation growing the economy and paying down our national debt for future generations He will be an incredible asset to the Trump administration and energy dominance that benefits all Americans with reliable Trump also has appointed Burgum to chair the newly created National Energy Council Burgum is the first native North Dakotan to lead a U.S Department of Agriculture in 2008-2009 and the second North Dakotan to serve as Interior Secretary native Tom Kleppe served as Interior Secretary in 1975.  Urge Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to keep federal protections for all of our national monuments Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a Secretarial Order "Unleashing American Energy." It calls for a 15-day internal review of oil including national monuments designated under the Antiquities Act. This Secretarial Order is a dangerous step towards dismantling protections for national monuments in favor of unrestrained and speculative fossil fuel and mining development.  The Antiquities Act is a conservation law that has been used by both Republican and Democratic presidents to safeguard public lands since it was established in 1906 the very first national monument designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 could face renewed risk of industrial fossil fuel development This Secretarial Order aims to dismantle over a century of protections threatening to open up monuments from Devils Tower to Bears Ears with a dangerous blanket order designed to prioritize industrial energy development at all costs Urge Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to take our national monuments off the table as he works towards President Trump’s goal of energy dominance.  If we lose these places to oil and gas development we forfeit a century-old legacy that we will not pass on to our grandchildren you will receive email communications from National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) By providing your mobile number and checking the box above you agree that NPCA may contact you by text message. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to cancel. Terms and Privacy Policy. – The United States Senate confirmed former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as Secretary of the Interior today by a vote of 79 to 18 Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement after voting in favor of Burgum’s nomination: “Doug Burgum is tailor-made for the Secretary of the Interior,” said Cramer “North Dakota embodies Teddy Roosevelt’s multiple use doctrine for public lands and recreation on some of the most beautiful Doug’s leadership in North Dakota and coordination with our tribes are models for our nation He has a lot of work to do righting the ship but his consensus-driven leadership style is up to the task.” During Burgum’s confirmation hearing earlier this month, Cramer helped introduce Burgum to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee “He is not just an oil man from an oil and gas producing state He is first and foremost a conservationist.”  Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world the co-op said it was partnering with the non-profit Conservation Alliance to launch a new coalition 2025 at 4:23 PM EDTBookmarkSaveTakeaways NEWIt’s rare for companies to make political endorsements Perhaps even rarer is an endorsement retraction made one last week when it said it had erred in supporting the nomination of Doug Burgum to lead the Interior Department “I’m here today to apologize to our members,” she said “and to take full accountability for how we move forward.” Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The call to review monuments (SO 3418 - Unleashing American Energy Section 4c) is easy to miss—it asks for steps to “review and revise” certain public land protections while conspicuously avoiding using the words “national monuments.”  The order would apply to hundreds of national monuments managed by the Interior Department a set of regulations to provide stronger protections for lands in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.  senior director of agency policy for The Wilderness Society made the following statement about the secretarial orders:   “First impressions don’t get much worse than this The new secretary hasn’t even had time to break in his chair at the Department of the Interior and yet the Trump administration is already driving day-one actions to implement a drill-first agenda including launching a secretive 15-day review of national monuments."  consider them key to our shared national identity and want to see them managed in a balanced and responsible way They don’t want to see these places neglected or wrecked by drilling or mining Hiding the ball on a review of national monuments shows the White House and Interior know full well how unpopular these actions are We hope Secretary Burgum will reconsider this approach and listen to the public about how essential protected public lands are to their local communities and ways of life.”  For joining the movement to save our lands