Breitbart News Event Discusses Energy Policies
At a recent event called “Harnessing America’s Power,” hosted by Breitbart News and featuring Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, a wide-ranging discussion unfolded regarding the energy policies of the Trump administration. A significant point of conversation was the potential for federal land royalties to support conservation efforts, wildlife protection, and the maintenance of national parks.
During this conversation, Matthew Boyle, Washington bureau chief, inquired about the status of the administration’s energy policies since President Trump returned to office. Burgum highlighted what he referred to as the “four babies” essential for achieving energy dominance: “Drill, baby, drill,” “map, baby, map,” “mine, baby, mine,” and “build, baby, build.”
“When it comes to drilling, the records we keep on oil production serve as the best measurements,” Burgum stated. He also brought up the issue of the backlog of drilling permits on federal lands.
“In places like New Mexico, specifically in the Bureau of Land Management district around Carlsbad, we inherited a staggering 5,600 outstanding drilling permit applications,” he elaborated.
Burgum pointed out that the law requires quarterly lease sales of public lands, which should be accessible to private companies wishing to purchase leases, thereby generating revenue for the U.S. government.
He emphasized that energy production on public lands adheres to environmental regulations while simultaneously providing income for the state. “Developers must comply with all EPA regulations, whether at the state, federal, or local level. This isn’t about destruction; it’s an activity that creates wealth for America,” Burgum mentioned.
Transitioning to the permitting process post-lease auction, he noted, “After winning the lease, companies then begin applying for drilling permits, which involves moving gradually through the application process. We currently have a backlog of 5,600 drilling applications, but we’ve managed to reduce that by 91 percent, achieving record numbers of clearances and new permits.”
Burgum stated that the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to energy production, regulatory compliance, and customer service. “It’s clear we’re dedicated to being rigorous in compliance and responsive in our services. If someone pays us, they’re essentially our customer,” he added.
He connected production on federal land to the royalty payments made to taxpayers. “When companies start producing oil, those wells generate royalties for everyone involved,” he explained.
Burgum pointed to the revenue generated as a factor in improving the financial health of the Interior Department. “After four years of declining revenues, we’ve reorganized the department, and this year we anticipate generating more revenue than we spend,” he noted. “This is beneficial for our lands, conservation efforts, wildlife, and national parks.”
While acknowledging that some protected areas remain off-limits, he emphasized that both interior lands and offshore regions should be used for the benefit of the American populace. “The Department of the Interior oversees a significant amount of land and resources that should serve the American people,” Burgum elaborated.
He reminded attendees that while certain areas, such as wilderness locations and national parks, are off-limits, the majority of lands are designated for public use. Burgum then shifted focus to the importance of mapping in the energy landscape. “Effective exploration hinges on thorough mapping,” he stated, citing recent successes, particularly in locating lithium deposits in Appalachia.
“Just last week, there was a reported discovery indicating that the U.S. might have 300 years’ worth of lithium reserves, which we usually rely on other countries to supply,” he highlighted. “In previous administrations, the narrative was that we didn’t need further mining or exploration,” he added candidly.
Burgum concluded by noting that the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a division of the Interior Department, has restarted its mapping initiatives. “It’s a significant advancement for the USGS and the Department of the Interior. They’re rapidly back to cartography,” he summarized.
