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This Week at Interior

Secretary Burgum this week is taking immediate steps to unleash Alaska’s untapped natural resource potential and support President Trump’s vision of American Energy Dominance. The Bureau of Land Management will move forward with efforts to increase exploration and development in both the National Petroleum Reserve and the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The BLM will also work towards partial revocation of public land withdrawals that will help solidify the path forward for the proposed Ambler Road and Alaska Liquified Natural Gas Pipeline projects.

In this initial suite of actions, the Interior and BLM will pursue:

Reopening up to 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska available to leasing and expanding energy development opportunities in the approximately 23-million-acre reserve. 

Reinstating a program that makes the entire 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge available for oil and gas leasing. 

And revoking withdrawals along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Corridor and Dalton Highway north of the Yukon River in order to convey these lands to State of Alaska. This action would help pave the way forward for the proposed Ambler Road and the Alaska Liquified Natural Gas Pipeline project, two projects that stand to increase job opportunities and encourage Alaska’s economic growth. 

Through these actions and more to come, Interior is set to deliver on the President’s promise to unlock Alaska’s abundant supply of natural resources for the benefit of Alaskans and the nation, providing economic and national security for many generations to come.

To revive offshore energy development efforts, President Trump this week signed a joint resolution disapproving the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s rule titled "Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources." The rule, published last year under the previous administration, mandated that all new oil and gas leaseholders on the Outer Continental Shelf submit archaeological reports in previously unsurveyed areas where operations proposed seafloor disturbing activities. Secretary Burgum applauded the move, saying that offshore energy development is a vital component of our national security and a critical driver of American prosperity.  

Interior this week announced permanent pay increases for federal and Tribal wildland firefighters across the United States after President Trump signed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act into law. As wildfires grow larger and more destructive — threatening communities, livelihoods, and infrastructure — wildland fire personnel face growing demands. Improving firefighter pay will help address this challenge by enabling the Department and Tribes to hire and retain top employees in this critical field.

Secretary Burgum and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner this week announced a new Joint Task Force to increase the supply of housing and decrease home ownership costs for millions of Americans. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed the Secretaries said Interior and HUD will identify locations that can support homes while pinpointing where housing needs are most pressing.

HUD will work with DOI to assess the housing needs in areas where federal lands may be available yet underutilized and implement tailored housing programs with guidance from states and localities. This partnership will identify underutilized federal lands suitable for residential development and streamline the land transfer process. It'll also promote policies that increase the availability of affordable housing while balancing important environmental and land use considerations.  

Interior this week announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the transfer of 680 acres of land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County, North Dakota. The transfer marks the culmination of a many decades' long effort by the Spirit Lake Nation and reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty, promoting economic opportunities, and enhancing the quality of life for Indigenous people.

The Bureau of Land Management this week conducted a competitive online sale through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. Eight parcels totaling nearly 42 acres in the Las Vegas Valley were sold, generating more than 16 and half million dollars. Eighty-five percent of those funds will go to projects throughout Nevada, such as the development of parks, trails, and natural areas, hazardous fuels reduction, landscape restoration projects and more.

And our social media Picture of the Week, here’s to warmer temperatures, new life and dramatic splashes of every imaginable color, as spring finally arrives in the Northern Hemisphere. Here at Redwood National and State Parks in California, it won't be long before the fields and hills are covered with the park's iconic blooms of lupine, as far as the eye can see.  

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That's This Week at Interior

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This Week at Interior  

Following an executive order issued by President Trump, Secretary Burgum signed a Secretary’s Order renaming the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. The renaming honors 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was murdered by illegal immigrants in North Houston, Texas, in June 2024. Secretary Burgum said the President's dedication ensures her name will always be remembered. This refuge, where life flourishes, will stand as a lasting tribute to her memory, a place of reflection, and a call to action to protect our children and uphold justice.

Secretary Burgum traveled to Houston this week to take part in the Cambridge Energy Research Associates' annual executive conference, known as CERAWeek. The conference brings together executives, government officials and thought leaders from the energy, policy, technology, and financial industries to discuss and develop solutions for the future of energy, the environment, and climate. The Secretary hailed the excitement and enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance he found at CERA, as the nation redoubles its mining efforts and offshore energy development.

Interior this week announced the approval of a federal mining plan modification by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for the Spring Creek Mine in Big Horn County, Montana, operated by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company. This decision extends the mine's operational life by 16 years, enabling the production of approximately 39.9 million tons of federal coal and supporting 280 full-time jobs.  

The Bureau of Land Management this week approved the Sapphire gen-tie transmission line and facilities project on approximately 40 acres of public lands in eastern Riverside County, California. The line will connect the planned Sapphire Solar photovoltaic and storage facility on private lands to the electric grid. Once operational, the project will transmit and store up to 117 megawatts of solar energy daily.

The U.S. Geological Survey this week released projections for world production capacity for seven critical minerals and helium for the next five years in the first World Minerals Outlook, part of a larger effort to provide forecasts and scenarios for global mineral supply chains. Among the findings -- the world’s capacity to produce cobalt and lithium, two elements critical to the batteries used to power mobile devices, tools and vehicles, is expected to double over the next five years. See the full report at usgs.gov

The work continues at the Tidal Basin Seawall Rehabilitation Project in Washington DC, funded by the Great American Outdoors Act. Since August hundreds of pilings have been driven into place and capped to raise the level of the seawall and prevent flooding, part of the $113 million project scheduled to wrap up next year. The National Park Service has worked hard to minimize the effect on cherry blossom season, now just weeks away.  

There will be some impact to this year's cherry blossom season, we did have to take down about 148 of the cherry trees, but there are still more than 2500 cherry trees around the Tidal Basin. All the walkways are open, all the roads are open, so still plenty of good opportunity to come down and celebrate spring in the Nation's Capital.

The National Wildlife Refuge System turns 122 years old this week. On March 14, 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt set aside tiny Pelican Island in Florida for the protection of pelicans and other birds. Today there are more than 550 refuges across the country providing space for wildlife and places for all Americans to recreate and reconnect with the great outdoors.

And our social media Picture of the Week, these yellow-headed blackbirds just hanging out at Wyoming's Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Yellow heads typically winter in the southwest United States and Mexico, then head back north for springtime breeding in noisy colonies across the West and Midwest.

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This Week at Interior

Secretary Burgum was on hand this week as President Trump held the first Cabinet meeting of his new administration, gathering his Department heads at the White House, discussing the most pressing issues and taking questions from reporters. Afterward in the Rose Garden the Secretary joined other Cabinet Secretaries to discuss with reporters the path forward to make American Energy Dominant under President Trump’s vision for the nation.  

First Cabinet meeting, it was fantastic. But of course, we’re working for a leader, President Donald J. Trump. He’s given all of us clear direction through Executive Orders. He’s empowering us to go get the job done. We know what we have to do.

Secretary Burgum also sent out his "welcome back to the office" message this week as most Interior employees have returned to their in-person workspaces. The Secretary said the Department workforce's commitment to Interior’s multiple missions is what drives our success, and that he's thrilled workers are back together.  

He said that while this transition may bring some adjustments, it is also an exciting opportunity to reconnect, collaborate, and continue to strengthen our efforts as one team to serve the American people. Working side by side in our shared office space, we will be a hub of creativity, innovation and teamwork, and we look forward to the dynamic conversations and problem-solving opportunities that will benefit our great nation.

Secretary Burgum this week welcomed the Western Governors Association to a working breakfast at Interior, along with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. Among the topics discussed were energy, land management and federal partnership with the states. The WGA is a non-partisan organization representing 19 states and three territories.

And Secretary Burgum, the Bureau of Land Management and the Utah Trust Lands Administration this week completed the final steps to execute a historic land exchange between the BLM and the State of Utah. Congress mandated the move as part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 -- through the exchange Utah will gain additional water rights, along with tens of thousand of acres containing rich deposits of oil, coal, and natural gas, the revenues on which will directly benefit Utah public schools.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management this week announced the cancellation of a previous set of recommendations aimed at protecting Rice's whales during oil and gas activities in the Gulf of America. The cancellation reflects a new Department priority for increasing American energy production.

This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week, an annual event to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat that they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread. Invasive species are any nonnative organism whose introduction to a particular ecosystem can cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal or plant health. They cause an estimated $120 billion in environmental damages and losses annually in the United States. Find out more in our blog at doi.gov.

Last year, two National Park Service staffers at Big Bend National Park in Texas stumbled on a tiny plant they didn't recognize...now it turns out no one could have, because what they discovered was a plant not known to science. The fuzzy foliage and interesting flower they found among the park's desert rocks is a new genus within the daisy family, officially called "Ovicula biradiata," but researchers refer to as the "woolly devil."

The National Park Service this week made its annual prediction for the peak bloom of Washington DC's storied cherry blossoms --sometime between March 28th and 31st. That's the time when some 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees are likely to be in bloom around the Tidal Basin and National Mall, bringing with them hundreds of thousands of eager tourists. The trees were gift to the United States from the people of Japan in 1912. This year's National Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 20th through April 13th.

And our social media Picture of the Week, winter hangs on in Nevada's Shoshone Mountains. They're among the longest mountain ranges in the Silver State, stretching 66 miles across the high desert, spanning 400 square miles of public lands managed by the BLM. It's a rugged landscape, offering vast, open spaces for exploration.  

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This Week at Interior

Secretary Burgum was on hand this week at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signed a final rule approving the State of West Virginia’s request to regulate the injection of carbon dioxide into deep rock formations. The move, known as "Class VI Primacy," acknowledges that the state is best positioned to protect its underground sources of drinking water while bolstering energy independence.

This is a great day for West Virginia, and it's a great day for America, because we're delegating responsibility back to the state where it belongs and where it can be responsibly executed. And again, at the end of the day part of the EPA's mission is to make sure that we've got clean air, clean water, clean soil health all of those things, but this action helps move us in that direction.  

West Virginia is the fourth state granted Class VI primacy under the Trump administration, joining Louisiana, North Dakota and Wyoming.

Unleashing American energy was just one of a range of topics on the agenda this week as Secretary Burgum welcomed Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" to Interior for a live broadcast from the Yates Auditorium. Along with energy as a national security issue, the Secretary also talked about issues affecting the nation's economy, recent meetings with the Japanese and Indian ambassadors, and outdoor recreation.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs this week launched Operation Spirit Return, an initiative to help solve missing and unidentified person cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States. The initiative is being conducted by the Bureau's Missing and Murdered Unit and will focus on reuniting remains with family members and returning them to their tribal communities.  

Secretary Burgum this week welcomed the governors and delegates of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands to the Interagency Group on Insular Areas. The annual meeting allows representatives of the island territories direct access to administration leaders to discuss the many issues and challenges they face back home.

And our social media Picture of the Week, the Ansel Adams Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. This stunning region is named in honor of the legendary photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams, who captured the beauty of the American West through his iconic black-and-white landscapes.  

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This Week, at Interior...

Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was sworn in this week as the 55th Secretary of the Interior following his confirmation by the Senate. The Secretary was welcomed aboard at the Steward Lee Udall Building by an enthusiastic gathering of Interior employees. With a career rooted in leadership and service, Secretary Burgum expressed his gratitude and outlined his vision for an Interior future driven forward by innovation versus being held back by regulation.

It’s such an honor to have been confirmed as the 55th Secretary of the Interior and I’m certainly deeply grateful to President Trump for nominating me and placing his trust in me to lead this great Department.

Success is always rooted in great teamwork, and I’m going to look forward to working with all of you to unlock the full potential of the Department of the Interior. I believe that the work that you’re doing, you chose to do it, because you believed it had purpose.  

But I also know that there’s a chunk of your job that you’re doing today that’s probably mind-numbing, and soul-suckingly boring (laughter) and our job is to find those pieces of your job and make them go away. We’re cutting red tape, not just for Americans, we want to cut it for all of you, so you can work on the stuff, the reason why you chose the field that you did.

So I want to thank each of you, all the many careers that are here and those who might be listening in, for your dedication, your passion, and your commitment to service. Together I know that we can move our important missions forward, and we’ll make a lasting impact on the future.

After his welcome ceremony the new Secretary got right to work, signing Secretarial Orders to address the national energy emergency, unleash American energy, and deliver emergency price relief for American families. He also announced the President's revocation of former Outer Continental Shelf withdrawals, along with new steps to achieve prosperity through deregulation, and directed the Department to take all necessary steps to unleash the State of Alaska’s abundant and largely untapped supply of natural resources.

You can follow Secretary Burgum on social media @SecretaryBurgum.

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Interior. It's more than just the department of everything else, it's about energy. Powering the nation's future through oil, gas, and coal; and harnessing the sun and wind.  It's about parks and preservation; Telling the American story for new generations and protecting the special places that make our country unique. It's about trust; upholding our sacred responsibilities to Native Americans and Alaska Natives. It's about conservation; protecting the wondrous wildlife of America and the habitat it lives in. It's about the land; sustaining the health diversity and productivity of public lands for multiple uses. It's about water; managing the dams, power plants and canals in 17 western states; bringing precious water to 31 million people. It's about restoration; restoring the land and habitat on the sites of abandoned mines. It's about science; understanding natural hazards and resources, developing new tools, supplying useful information. It's about safety; enforcing the regulations for responsible recovery and use of natural resources at sea. People, history, energy, land, water, science, responsible stewardship; that's what Interior is all about. This is our charge, our work is important and America depends on us.