Protecting Our National Treasures, Natural Resources, and Public Lands Must Remain the Priority of the Department of the Interior

Washington, D.C. — Donald Trump named North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as his nominee to head the Department of the Interior. Burgum has expressed climate skepticism, called for opening public lands to drilling, and taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from the oil and gas industry. In response to the announcement, Climate Power executive director Lori Lodes issued the following statement:

“No matter who they voted for, the American people are united in wanting clean air and water and in protecting our pristine public lands for future generations. Donald Trump, who famously calls climate change a hoax, has now appointed a fellow climate skeptic who has personally profited from drilling to a position charged with protecting our nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage. The threat speaks for itself.”

Burgum’s Dirty Record: 

• Burgum accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the oil and gas industry, which were his top two donor industries five out of six years since he was elected as Governor.
• Burgum has personal financial investments with Harold Hamm of Continental Resources, Trump’s most important Big Oil donor, who is helping to handpick Trump’s energy nominees.
• Burgum called for oil and gas exploration and mining activity to be permitted on public lands.
• Burgum disputed established climate science and denied that human activity caused climate change. 
• Burgum attacked action on climate change in the U.S. and internationally.
• Since the Inflation Reduction Act – which Burgum opposed – became law, over $750,000,000 has been invested in clean energy projects, creating 450 jobs in North Dakota.