Stewart Huntington
ICT
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum began his tenure this week with a string of orders he said would “unlock America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development.”
The former North Dakota governor signed six secretarial edicts Monday, Feb. 3, that closely align with President Donald Trump’s vision for America and claim to establish the nation’s leadership in extracting critical minerals and “eliminate harmful, coercive climate policies” established during the Biden administration.
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Burgum also promised a sweeping review of department policies including “maximizing the development and production of the natural resources located on both federal and State lands within Alaska.”
His order explicitly ended Biden administration guidelines on development of Alaskan lands. Burgum also ordered immediate enforcement of directives issued by Trump that end certain Biden era bans on offshore energy development.
The secretary directed that Interior staff “take all actions available to expedite the leasing … for oil and gas exploration and production” within the formerly protected ocean areas known as the Outer Continental Shelf.
That order drew criticism from conservationists.
“I’m from an island. I think about ocean conservation all day,” said Angelo Villagomez, a senior fellow at American Progress, where he focuses on Indigenous-led conservation. “There are only five Marine national monuments around the country and they account for 99 percent of the protected ocean in our country. I’m very concerned that Burgum’s order … is going to open up some of this country’s most important ocean areas to industry.”
Burgum’s directives also opened the door to redrawing the boundaries of national monuments created – under the Antiquities Act – by previous presidents to protect unique landscapes and cultural resources.
Among the sites most at risk are Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah, where state officials fought against their creation. Grand Staircase-Escalante holds large coal reserves, and the Bears Ears area has uranium.
Trump reduced the size of the two monuments during his first term, calling them a “massive land grab.” He also lifted fishing restrictions within a sprawling marine monument off the New England Coast.
Biden later restored protections for all three sites.
Whether Trump has the authority to change the boundaries of existing monuments is unclear and part of a pending legal case.
Burgum directed Interior staff to draw up detailed plans to implement his orders within 15 days, kicking off his tenure at the Interior Department, which oversees more than 500 million acres of public lands, including more than 400 national parks and 560 national wildlife refuges.
“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,” Burgum said Monday in a statement.
Underlying his actions is the Trump administration’s contention that the U.S. is experiencing a “national energy emergency” at a time when domestic oil production is at record levels.
Burgum pledged to protect the lands.
“We will achieve Energy Dominance by sustainably developing our natural resources while championing clean air and clean water, protecting our most beautiful lands, and expanding outdoor recreation,” he said in the statement. “We will treat our natural resources as national assets, which are for the benefit and use of the American people.”
He also cited his work with tribal nations while serving as governor of North Dakota.
“In North Dakota, we share geography with five sovereign tribal nations,” he said. “The current partnership is historically strong because we prioritized tribal engagement through mutual respect, open communication, collaboration, and a sincere willingness to listen. At Interior, we will strengthen our commitment to enhancing the quality of life, promoting economic opportunities, and empowering our tribal partners through those principles.”
Groups representing the oil industry praised Burgum’s orders.
“American energy leadership is back,” said National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito.
The declaration of an energy emergency, however, has drawn pushback from Democrats and environmentalists.
“If they are going to say there’s some energy emergency that overrides the Antiquities Act, they are going to get laughed out of court,” said Aaron Weiss with the Center for Western Priorities.
Litigation challenging Trump’s previous monument reductions was still pending when Biden reversed them and has never been settled, Weiss said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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