Trump selects North Dakota Governor Burgum to lead Interior Department.

President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to nominate North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a former Republican presidential candidate, to lead the Interior Department. Trump highlighted Burgum’s experience in business and strong energy policy support, envisioning him as instrumental in expanding oil and gas drilling as part of the administration’s energy strategy. “We’re going to do incredible things with energy and land,” Trump said, emphasizing Burgum’s role in overseeing public lands and boosting fossil fuel production.

If confirmed by the Senate, Burgum would manage over 500 million acres of federal land and the resources beneath, becoming central to Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda by leasing federal lands for oil, natural gas, and coal development. Trump’s plans diverge from the current renewable energy focus, with Burgum expected to reduce or halt many Biden-era initiatives on offshore wind farms and other renewable projects.

Burgum, whose state ranks third in U.S. oil production and includes over 4 million federally controlled acres, previously backed carbon capture technology to reduce emissions. This approach aligns with Trump’s goals for fossil fuel expansion while minimizing environmental impacts, said Collin O’Mara of the National Wildlife Federation. “He’ll champion the energy dominance agenda while potentially balancing conservation needs,” noted O’Mara.

However, environmental advocates raised concerns about Burgum’s limited experience in managing public lands. Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Center for Western Priorities, pointed out that while Burgum hails from an oil-producing state, North Dakota has less extensive public lands compared to other states under federal jurisdiction. “He may appeal to Trump’s oil-friendly base, but his experience lacks breadth for managing America’s vast lands,” she said.

Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees 58,000 surface acres and 4.1 million acres of mineral rights in North Dakota, including thousands of federal leases. Burgum’s potential appointment reflects Trump’s commitment to fossil fuel production, aiming to ease regulatory restrictions imposed under the Biden administration.

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