New Interior Chief Issues 6 Orders on 1st Day in Office

Newly seated Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued six Department of Interior (DOI) orders on Feb. 3, his first official day in office. The former North Dakota governor was confirmed by the Senate in a 78–20 vote on Jan. 29.  His initial actions as secretary align DOI procedures and initiatives with the 200-plus executive actions that President Donald Trump has signed since his Jan. 20 inauguration, including more than 50 related to energy development. Burgum’s Secretary’s Order 3417, “Addressing the National Energy Emergency,” enacts the president’s declaration of a national energy emergency through two actions. The DOI “will immediately identify all emergency and legal authorities available to facilitate the identification, permitting, leasing, development, production, transportation, refining, distribution, exporting, and generation of domestic energy resources and critical minerals” the order states....