U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Secretary Doug Burgum Signs First Round of Secretary's Orders to Unleash American Energy

Today (Feb 3), Doug Burgum officially began his tenure as the 55th Secretary of the Interior, marking the start of a new era focused on advancing American energy independence and ensuring the responsible stewardship of the nation's public lands and resources.  

On his first day in office, Secretary Burgum met with Department leadership, outlined his key priorities, took immediate steps to streamline processes that will enhance efficiency and innovation across the Department and advanced President Trump's agenda by signing six Secretary's Orders to make America Energy Dominant.

"Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the Department of the Interior," said Secretary Doug Burgum. "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. Together, we will ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our communities, respect tribal sovereignty, and drive innovation that will keep the U.S. at the forefront of energy and environmental leadership."

1.    Addressing the National Energy Emergency

One of Secretary Burgum's first major actions was signing Secretary's Order 3417, "Addressing the National Energy Emergency," to address the President's national emergency declaration by tackling the critical need for "a reliable, diversified, growing and affordable supply of energy."  

Interior will immediately undertake two efforts to address our nation's inadequate energy supply and protect against this active threat to the national and economic security of the American people. First, Interior 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.  

Second, the Department will identify all emergency and other legal authorities available to expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriate infrastructure, energy, environmental, and natural resources projects. The Secretary will report the use of such authorities and submit recommendations for exercising certain authorities as necessary to the President.

2.    Unleashing American Energy

Secretary's Order 3418 aligns the Department with President Trump's energy policy to, among other things, encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader and achieve energy dominance.  

The order ensures the Department's consistency with Executive Order 14154, "Unleashing American Energy" by immediately terminating all actions taken respecting the Executive Orders revoked by President Trump and a review of all agency actions that potentially burden the development of domestic energy resources.  

The Secretary also directs a review of all appropriations from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure consistency with President Trump's energy dominance policies. In addition to reviewing burdensome energy development policies, the order also directs a review of all domestic mining and processing of non-fuel minerals to restore America's critical mineral dominance and takes steps to prioritize updating the U.S. Geological Survey's list of critical minerals and accelerating the ongoing geological mapping of the country.

The order will align the Department with the Trump administration's Energy Dominance policies which include:

• Encouraging energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf, in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future; 
• Establishing our position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals, which will create jobs and prosperity at home, strengthen supply chains for the United States and its allies, and reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial states; 
• Protecting the United States' economic and national security and military preparedness by ensuring that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State and territory of the Nation; 
• Ensuring that all regulatory requirements related to energy are grounded in clearly applicable law; 
• Ensuring that the global effects of a rule, regulation, or action shall, whenever evaluated, be reported separately from its domestic costs and benefits, in order to promote sound regulatory decision making and prioritize the interests of the American people; 
• Guaranteeing that all executive departments and agencies (agencies) provide opportunity for public comment and rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis; and 
• Ensuring that no federal funding is employed in a manner contrary to the principles set out above, unless required by law.   

3.    Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis  

Following President Trump's Executive Order on "Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis," Secretary's Order 3419, "Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis," mandates the Interior Department to take immediate steps that will reduce living costs for American families.  

The order initiates a Department-wide 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. Interior will focus on ways to eliminate harmful, coercive climate policies and lower the cost of energy, which in turn will restore purchasing power to the everyday American and improve overall quality of life.

4.    Announcing President Trump's revocation of former Outer Continental Shelf Withdrawals

Secretary's Order 3420 directs immediate compliance with President Trump's revocations of the Biden administration's wrongful withdrawals of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing. S.O. 3420 notifies the Department that the "ban has been unbanned" and directs all bureaus and offices to comply with President Trump's revocation of the withdrawals as outlined in Executive Order 14148, "Initial Recissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions." Furthermore, Interior is immediately directed to resume taking all actions available to expedite the leasing of the OCS for oil and gas exploration and production.

The three withdrawals that have been revoked by President Trump's order are:

• Withdrawal of Certain Areas off the United States Arctic Coast of the Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Gas Leasing (March 13, 2023); 
• Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing (January 6, 2025);
• Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing (January 6, 2025).

The Department will resume taking all actions available to expedite the leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf for oil and gas exploration and production.  

5.    Achieving Prosperity Through Deregulation

Secretary's Order No. 3421 directs the Department of the Interior to support President Donald J. Trump's deregulation agenda, as outlined in the Executive Order Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation." The goal is to reduce red tape, enhance national security and improve the quality of life for U.S. citizens. Interior will eliminate at least 10 existing regulations for every new one introduced and ensure that the costs of new regulations are offset by removing the costs of previous ones. All of the Department's bureaus and offices are tasked with streamlining financial management and reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens.

6.    Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential

Secretary's Order 3422 directs the Department to take all necessary steps to unleash the State of Alaska's abundant and largely untapped supply of natural resources. This Order implements Executive Order 14153, "Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential," by among other policies, efficiently and effectively maximizing the development and production of the natural resources located on both federal and State lands within Alaska.  

S.O. 3422 withdraws Secretary's Order 3401, dated June 1, 2021, and reinstates Secretary's Order No. 3352, "National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska," dated May 31, 2017, to prioritize the prudent development of natural resources in Alaska and beyond to ensure the Nation's geopolitical security. The Secretary directs an immediate review of all punitive restrictions that have targeted resource development in Alaska and requires the Interior Department to develop plans of action to carry out President Trump's agenda for how Alaska can help make America Energy Dominant again.

As the Department of the Interior moves forward under Secretary Burgum's leadership, these initiatives set the foundation for a renewed focus on responsible resource management, economic growth, and cultural preservation. By advancing policies that honor America's heritage while fostering innovation and sustainability, the Department remains committed to serving the interests of the American people and strengthening the nation's environmental and energy future.