Natasha Blakely, natasha.blakely@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC – Yesterday, Donald Trump announced the nomination of Doug Burgum to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Burgum is the current governor of North Dakota.
In response to the nomination, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:
“It was climate skeptic Doug Burgum who helped arrange the Mar-a-Lago meeting with wealthy oil and gas executives where Donald Trump offered to overturn dozens of environmental rules and regulations in exchange for $1 billion in campaign contributions. If that weren’t disqualifying enough, he’s long advocated for rolling back critical environmental safeguards in order to let polluters profit. Doug Burgum’s ties to the fossil fuel industry run deep and, if confirmed to this position, he will surely continue Donald Trump’s efforts to sell out our public lands to his polluter pals. Our lands are our nation’s greatest treasure, and the Interior Department is charged with their protection. The Sierra Club and its millions of members and supporters across the country will do everything in our power to stop Donald Trump and Doug Burgum’s fossil fuel agenda, and preserve our wild and special places.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.