Burgum grilled on environmental issues targeted by Trump during confirmation hearing: 'Drill, baby, drill'

Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, President-elect Trump's nominee for interior secretary, was pressed by the Senate connected his environmental agenda and whether his ngo aligns with that of Trump, who plans to overturn galore biology rules and regulations enacted nether the Biden administration.

A confirmation proceeding was held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Thursday for Burgum, a 2024 statesmanlike campaigner who was tapped to pb the section that manages nationalist land, wildlife and earthy resources.

"This is simply a feline who truly fits this job," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said arsenic helium introduced Burgum, who grew up successful Arthur, North Dakota.

Democrats focused their questioning connected whether Burgum aligns with Trump's stance connected upwind farming and electrical vehicles, portion Republicans asked astir his committedness to wood management, expanding vigor accumulation and resurrecting involvement successful atomic energy.

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"When vigor accumulation is restricted successful America, it doesn't trim demand. It conscionable shifts accumulation to countries similar Russia and Iran, whose autocratic leaders not lone don't attraction astatine each astir the environment, but they usage their revenues from vigor income to money wars against america and our allies," Burgum said successful his opening statement.

"President Trump's vigor dominance imaginativeness volition extremity those wars overseas and volition marque beingness much affordable for each household successful America by driving down inflation.

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"And President Trump volition execute those goals portion championing cleanable air, cleanable h2o and protecting our beauteous lands."

The Biden medication has enacted caller policies keeping animals connected the endangered taxon database and blocking ember mining and liquefied earthy state exports (LNG). Republicans asked Burgum astir his attack to these circumstantial Biden-era policies, which helium agreed are policies that should beryllium reevaluated.

Burgum told lawmakers that, if confirmed, his docket would beryllium anchored by 2 issues — nationalist information and the economy.

"Without baseload, we're going to suffer the AI (artificial intelligence) arms race to China," helium said.

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, utilizing a operation coined by the incoming president, asked the interior nominee if helium is going to "drill, baby, drill" aft claiming Trump wants to drill successful nationalist parks.

"As portion of my sworn duty, I'll travel the instrumentality and travel the Constitution. And truthful you tin number connected that," Burgum responded. "And I person not heard of thing astir President Trump wanting to bash thing different than advancing vigor accumulation for the payment of the American people."

President-elect Trump precocious suggested his medication could present argumentation to artifact each caller upwind vigor projects, a taxable raised by Democratic Sen. Angus King of Maine, who applauded Burgum for having "all of the supra vigor strategy" during the hearing. 

Asked if helium volition perpetrate to existent upwind projects, Burgum said, "I'm not acquainted with each task that the interior has underway, but I'll surely beryllium taking a look astatine each of those."

"President Trump's been precise wide successful his statements that he's acrophobic astir the important magnitude of taxation incentives that person gone towards immoderate forms of energy, that person helped exacerbate this imbalance that we're seeing close now," Burgum said successful notation to Trump raising the contented of subsidies for upwind vigor projects.

Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada asked if Burgum would enactment repealing credits for electrical vehicles, which could reportedly beryllium axed by Trump during his upcoming term. 

"I enactment economics and markets," Burgum responded, highlighting the costs of EVs compared to liquid substance with zero carbon. 

Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, the erstwhile caput of interior during Trump's archetypal term, told Fox News helium is "very confident" Burgum volition beryllium confirmed for the apical medication post.