Interior Secretary Doug Burgham said Wednesday that streamlining department permits will bring review time for the department in just 28 days from a potential year.
Following President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration, the Home Office, which is under Secretary Bulgham, has moved to implement emergency permitting procedures to accelerate the development of energy resources and critical minerals.
The energy resources included in the fast-tracked permit process include:
- crude oil
- Natural gas
- Lease condensate
- Natural gas liquid
- Sophisticated petroleum products
- uranium
- coal
- Biofuel
- Geothermal Energy
- Motion speed
- Important minerals
In a statement, Bulgham said shortening the permitting process is a national security issue.
He said in a written statement:
The US cannot afford to wait. President Trump has made it clear that our energy security is national security, and these emergency procedures reflect an unwavering commitment to protecting both. We are through unnecessary delays to quickly track America’s energy and critical mineral development. It is an essential resource for economic, military preparation and global competitiveness.
He continued. “By reducing the permitting process for several years to just 28 days, the sector will lead with a clear focus on urgency, resolution and strengthening the country’s energy independence.”
“In response, the department will utilize emergency authorities under existing regulations of the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Species Act and the National Historic Preservation Act,” a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs said. “The steps outlined below allow faster timelines to be allowed, reducing the process that usually takes months or weeks.”
The sector will also adopt alternative national environmental policy laws (NEPA) Compliance Process:
- Projects analyzed in environmental assessments usually take up to a year and are reviewed within about 14 days.
- Projects that require a complete environmental impact statement, which is usually a two-year process, will be reviewed in about 28 days.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs is therefore acting promptly to reduce these vulnerabilities by promoting rapid permits of energy and critical mineral projects essential to the country’s economic resilience and energy independence,” the Ministry of Home Affairs released concluded.
At a policy event hosted by Breitbart News in March, Burgum discussed “four babies” in energy development, including “baby maps, my baby mines and the third energy is baby build.” And of course there is a drill baby drill.
“We have to start building, we have to build generation, we have to build more base load power. We’ve got to get out of the intense bang between intermittent, unreliable, expensive, affordable, low-cost base loads.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him with x @seanmoran3.
