The US Senate on Thursday confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee for the post of Interior Secretary, former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, by a vote of 79 to 18.
Burgum, 68, will lead an agency that manages the use of 202 million acres of federal and tribal land, one-fifth of the country's land area.
He is expected to follow Mr. Trump's goal of increasing energy and mineral production on public lands, which is likely to add new licenses in oil-producing states like Wyoming and New Mexico and in the Gulf of America, as Mr. Trump has renamed the Gulf of Mexico.
A wealthy former software executive, Mr. Burgum has portrayed himself as a traditional, business-minded conservative.
During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Burgum said he would expand oil and gas drilling rights and support reforms that could speed up the development of energy projects.
His comments signaled a sharp turn in federal policy as former President Joe Biden's administration sought to limit oil and gas drilling on federal lands and promote renewable energy sources such as wind and solar as part of its climate change agenda.
Mr. Burgum ran against Mr. Trump for the Republican nomination before dropping out of the race to express support for Mr. Trump. His name is also being considered to head a new national council to coordinate policies to increase energy production in the United States./ VOA (A2 Televizion)
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