Washington: The U.S. Interior Department has taken its first major steps to advance President Donald Trump’s energy policies, rolling out a series of executive orders designed to boost domestic energy and mineral production while cutting regulatory hurdles.
In a statement, the department announced that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota, signed six orders on his first day in office. These directives align with Trump’s broader push to accelerate energy project approvals and scale back environmental regulations that his administration considers excessive.
A Shift in Energy Policy
The moves mark a stark shift from the previous administration’s approach. Under former President Joe Biden, the Interior Department prioritized reducing fossil fuel development on public lands and waters while expanding renewable energy initiatives like offshore wind and solar power as part of a strategy to combat climate change.
Burgum, outlining his vision for the agency, framed the new directives as a commitment to energy independence and economic growth. “Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the Department of the Interior,” Burgum said in a statement. “We are committed to working collaboratively to unlock America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation.”
Key Orders and Policy Changes
The newly signed orders instruct agency officials to identify emergency and legal mechanisms to accelerate energy project development and permitting, aligning with Trump’s energy emergency declaration. They also call for the elimination of regulations deemed to be obstacles to domestic energy expansion. A key aspect of this deregulation effort involves reviewing provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, both signed into law during Biden’s presidency.
Among the most significant policy reversals is the rescinding of Biden’s withdrawal of large sections of federal waters from new offshore oil and gas leasing. Another order directs federal and state agencies to enhance resource development in Alaska.
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The department also pledged to follow a regulatory reduction approach, stating it would eliminate at least ten existing regulations for every new rule introduced.
Implications for the Energy Sector
The Interior Department, which manages vast tracts of public lands and offshore territories—from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico—plays a crucial role in U.S. energy production. Its leasing programs contribute roughly a quarter of the nation’s oil and gas output.
By prioritizing domestic energy expansion, the Trump administration aims to bolster U.S. energy security, lower costs, and strengthen its position as a global energy powerhouse. However, the policy shift is expected to spark legal challenges from environmental groups and Democratic-led states, which previously opposed similar efforts to roll back environmental protections.
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As the administration pushes ahead with its pro-energy policies, the battle over America’s energy future is set to intensify.
