Nominating Doug Burgum as Interior Secretary poses a grave threat to the progress made in addressing climate change and reining in the excesses of the fossil fuel industry. As a former governor and software entrepreneur from an oil-producing state, he is likely to prioritize unbridled energy extraction over environmental protection. The Biden administration's landmark climate law was a vital step towards transitioning to clean energy and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. However, Burgum's ties to the oil and gas sector raise legitimate concerns that he will seek to undermine or dismantle these critical measures. Furthermore, his potential role in leading a new National Energy Council aimed at boosting fossil fuel production is deeply alarming. Burgum's confirmation could also jeopardize safeguards against reckless drilling on public lands and waters. We cannot afford to relinquish hard-won environmental regulations to appease corporate interests at the expense of our natural heritage and a habitable planet for future generations. I urge you to rigorously scrutinize Burgum's qualifications, potential conflicts of interest, and commitment to science-based policymaking during his confirmation hearing. The stakes are simply too high to entrust our nation's public lands and climate future to someone solely driven by an extractive, deregulatory agenda. We need leadership that will uphold environmental laws, not undermine them for private gain.
