Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has issued six orders to align DOI practices with Trump’s policies.
On his first official day in office, newly appointed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued six orders for the Department of Interior (DOI) on February 3.
The former governor of North Dakota was confirmed by the Senate with a
78–20 vote on January 29.His initial directives as secretary aim to align DOI procedures and initiatives with over 200 executive actions signed by President Donald Trump since his inauguration on January 20, which includes more than 50 associated with energy development.
The order states that the DOI “will promptly 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 department, which oversees 500 million acres of public lands and 1.7 billion offshore acres, will also “identify all emergency and other legal authorities to expedite the completion of all authorized and suitable infrastructure, energy, environmental, and natural resources projects,” according to the order.
Secretary’s Order 3418 brings DOI in line with the provisions set forth in Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” directive by “immediate termination of all actions taken” under revoked executive orders from President Joe Biden.
The order “calls for a review of all appropriations” related to 2022’s
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 “to ensure alignment with President Trump’s energy dominance policies.”
These two bills, along with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, form the backbone of Biden’s “New Green Deal,” collectively authorizing over 80 new federal regulatory programs and billions in funding through 2032.
Burgum’s order further directs the DOI to reevaluate mining regulations, promote energy development on federal lands and waters, and ensure “a global rule, regulation, or action … is reported separately from its domestic costs and benefits.”
Secretary’s Order 3419 requires DOI to “take immediate steps to reduce living costs for American families” as detailed in the president’s “Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis” executive actions package, by conducting “a review of all programs and regulations that are unnecessarily causing higher living costs for hardworking American families to identify and recommend future actions to lower costs.”
Secretary’s Order 3420 “instructs immediate compliance” with Trump’s executive order rescinding Biden’s “unjust withdrawals of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing,” which includes two December 2024 Biden executive orders that imposed restrictions on offshore drilling across 625 million acres off the East and West coasts.
The order notes that the “ban has been unbanned,” according to Burgum.
Secretary’s Order 3421 directs the DOI to support Trump’s deregulation agenda articulated in the “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” executive order. Under Burgum’s guidelines, the DOI “will eliminate at least 10 existing regulations for each new one introduced and ensure that the costs of new regulations are offset by removing the costs of previous ones.”
Secretary’s Order 3422 commands the department to “take all necessary steps” to enact the president’s “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential” executive order, which rescinds “all regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions … put in place between January 20, 2021, and January 20, 2025,” essentially nullifying 70 regulatory actions from the Biden era concerning Alaska.
“Today signifies the start of an exhilarating chapter,” Burgum mentioned in a statement. “We are dedicated to collaborating to unlock America’s complete potential in energy independence and economic growth, making life more affordable for every American household while showcasing the strength of America’s natural resources and innovation.”
