Hoeven: Doug Burgum is the Right Man for the Job of Interior Secretary

Hoeven: Doug Burgum is the Right Man for the Job of Interior Secretary

Senator Urging Fellow ENR Committee Members to Support Burgum's Nomination, Outlines His Broad Experience & Support from More Than 185 Tribes

WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today introduced Governor Doug Burgum, President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of the Interior and head of the National Energy Council, at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee. This comes as part of Hoeven's ongoing efforts to advance Burgum's nomination and secure the support of his colleagues. During his remarks, Hoeven outlined:

• His plans to work with Burgum toward unlocking America's energy potential and ensuring access to public lands for multiple use as required by Congress, including for grazing and energy development.
• Burgum's long record of success in both the public and private sectors, as well as his:
  • Experience with issues surrounding federal lands, given the broad presence of federal surface acres and minerals across North Dakota.
  • Clear appreciation for the history and landscapes preserved under the National Park Service.
  • Knowledge of the needs of energy and agriculture producers as it relates to accessing federal acreage.
• The broad support Burgum has received from Indian tribes in North Dakota and across the country, with more than 185 tribes having offered their support for Burgum.
  • This includes unanimous support for Burgum's nomination from tribes in North Dakota.
  • Hoeven submitted letters from tribal leaders into the committee record outlining their endorsement of the nominee. Those letters can be found here.

"Doug Burgum truly fits the job of Interior Secretary. Whether it's energy development, grazing, outdoor recreation, water supply, the National Park Service or tribal relations, he covers all of the bases. Further, he has demonstrated a commitment to working with others, understanding their issues and collaborating toward solutions," said Hoeven. "I will continue to encourage all of my fellow ENR committee members to meet with Doug and discuss their priorities, because I believe they will find that he is the right man for the job."

Unlocking U.S. Energy Potential

In particular, Hoeven is working to rescind harmful policies imposed by the Biden-Harris administration that will severely limit access to federal lands and minerals, policies which undermine U.S. energy security and drive up costs for consumers. Among other priorities, his efforts include:

• Pushing back on overreaching and restrictive federal rules, like those imposed by President Biden through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which would fall under Burgum's authority as Interior Secretary. These include:
  • The Public Lands Rule, which would overhaul the management of more than 245 million acres of taxpayer-owned lands and establish "conservation leases" to lock away federal lands.
  • The Resource Management Plan (RMP) for North Dakota, which closes off leasing to vast areas of potential federal oil and gas acreage and a majority of federal coal acreage in the state.
• Advancing his BLM Mineral Spacing Act, which would remove duplicative BLM permitting regulations and better respect the rights of private mineral holders.

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