Where is Doug Burgum on wind power?

By Garrett Downs | 01/17/2025 06:36 AM EST

The president-elect is going to war over turbines. At a hearing Thursday, the nominee for Interior secretary said he would pursue an “all of the above strategy.”

Doug Burgum testifies during his confirmation hearing.

Doug Burgum, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Interior secretary, at his confirmation hearing Thursday. Francis Chung/POLITICO

In his confirmation hearing Thursday, Donald Trump’s pick for Interior secretary, Doug Burgum, danced around one of the biggest questions facing the energy industry: What to do about wind power?

At his appearance before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the former North Dakota governor, who is expected to win easy confirmation, noted that while his state produces abundant wind energy, a “balance” needed to be struck between intermittent sources like wind and “baseload” sources like fossil fuels.

It’s already clear what the president-elect thinks. He hates wind, has dubbed it an “economic and environmental disaster” and has called for revoking subsides while tearing down “dead and broken down” wind turbines.

Advertisement

Anti-wind advocates are readying executive orders for Trump to sign on wind power, one of which would halt federal work on offshore wind projects along the East Coast. In total, both on- and offshore wind deliver roughly 10 percent of U.S. electricity, and a larger share in certain parts of the country.

In addition to the discussion on wind, Burgum gave assurances on natural gas exploration in Alaska’s North Slope and extolled outdoor recreation.

At the hearing Thursday, Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, engaged in a lengthy exchange with Burgum on wind.

“Convince your boss that wind power isn’t all bad,” King said of Trump, noting more than one-third of North Dakota’s electricity comes from wind power.

“We need an all of the above strategy,” Burgum, who has also been tapped as Trump’s “energy czar” said to King. “But we need more.”

Asked by King about a significant wind energy project in the Gulf of Maine, which King said was critical to his state’s and New England’s energy future, Burgum said he was unfamiliar. But he said that if they “make sense and if they’re already in law, then they will continue.”

At several points, however, Burgum repeated a longstanding critique that wind and solar are not consistent sources of electricity. He discussed the need for “baseload power,” a term that refers to the minimum amount of power required to meet electricity demand on the grid. The term is also sometimes a reference to energy resources like natural gas, nuclear or coal that can be stockpiled and dispatched to fulfill electricity demand.

“We’ve got to get back to making sure that we’ve got the appropriate amount of baseload,” Burgum said. “If the sun’s not shining, the wind’s not blowing, and we don’t have baseload, then we’ve got brownouts and blackouts.”

King challenged Burgum on this point. “I don’t want the word ‘baseload’ to be code for ‘no renewables,’” King said. “That’s not what you’re saying, is it?”

Burgum said the grid needs balance, but he reiterated that intermittent sources of power are not reliable. He said that North Dakota systems are sometimes stressed from too much or too little wind.

The idea of curtailing wind is gaining currency among some Republicans in Congress. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who introduced Burgum at the hearing, told POLITICO’s E&E News after the hearing that he wouldn’t have a problem with Trump shutting down wind power.

“I think he’s right,” the senator said. “I don’t think we need to build anymore. At the very least, we don’t need to subsidize them anymore.”

He added, “I think [Trump’s] saying it’s time to move on. If utilities want to build wind, and they can get it by their regulators at full price, good for them. But the idea that somehow we need to continue to subsidize it, I think it demonstrates that it’s not a very efficient energy source.”

Renewable energy advocates have pushed back against that sentiment.

Dem praise for Burgum

Despite Democratic concern, it seems unlikely that the uncertain fate of wind power will hobble Burgum, who won praise from both parties.

The panel’s ranking member, Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), told reporters after the hearing that he’s not committing yet to supporting Burgum.

But in a sign of how Democrats view Burgum, Heinrich noted that the North Dakotan is a good nominee. “I’m not gonna commit today,” Heinrich said. “But I think he’s a talented nominee.”

Burgum also received a warm reception from several other Democrats, especially those who were governors.

It was a stark change from other nominee hearings this week, where Democrats pounced on past scandals or policy positions of Trump nominees.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who has railed against the Biden administration’s Interior Department for its land use decisions in Alaska, was pleased with Burgum’s responses.

Murkowski, who called the Interior Department Alaska’s “landlord,” asked for a commitment from Burgum that he would work on polar bear regulations with people in the North Slope, and for his cooperation in expanding natural gas production in the state.

Burgum assured Murkowski that he would “view Alaska as one of the biggest assets that this country has” and one of the “biggest responsibilities of Interior.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping you would say,” Murkowski said. “Recognizing really the significance there.”

Asked by E&E News after the hearing if she was supporting Burgum, Murkowski said: “Great guy, love him.”

Pledges on outdoor economy

If confirmed, Burgum will have broad control over energy and mineral leasing on federal lands. He also would control the majority of the nation’s nearly 640 million acres of federally owned land.

During the hearing, he vowed to balance increased energy production on public lands while protecting crucial public lands like the national parks.

“The American people have clearly placed their confidence in President Trump to achieve energy dominance, and by energy dominance, that’s the foundation of American prosperity,” Burgum said.

Burgum also committed to Heinrich that he would “find tools to bring together land owners and sportsmen on both private lands as well as public lands to make sure that we can keep that outdoor [recreation] economy growing.” Burgum received the endorsement of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable earlier this week.

Despite dazzling many on Capitol Hill, environmental advocates were less than impressed with Burgum, a former software engineer.

“Billionaire Doug Burgum’s testimony today shows the extent of his loyalty to Trump’s fossil fuel agenda and proves that he should not be trusted in the role of Interior Secretary,” said the League of Conservation Voters’ conservation program director, America Fitzpatrick.

“Burgum must understand that as the Secretary of the Interior, he will be tasked with stewarding all of our public lands and waters, not just national parks, and that they are to be treasured, not exploited to line the pockets of his oil and gas cronies.”

Lauren Hainsworth, the legislative advocate for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, also urged the Senate to reject Burgum’s nomination.

“Management of federal public lands in Utah requires a thoughtful, balanced approach, but during today’s hearing Governor Burgum made it clear that if confirmed, the scales will be wildly tipped in favor of extractive industry and fossil fuels,” Hainsworth said.

“Utah’s red rock country and wildest places are national treasures and should be conserved, not exploited. We encourage the Senate to reject Governor Burgum’s nomination.”

Reporter Heather Richards contributed.