President-elect Trump has picked North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the Interior Department. According to The Hill, a political publication focused on all things Capitol Hill and the WhiteHouse, many are focused on the impact Borgum will have on energy policies and production on the nation's public lands. But as Utahns know, the "Interior Department has a broad mandate that goes beyond fossil fuels. The department is also in charge of millions of acres of federal lands, largely located in the U.S. West."

If Confirmed, Burgum will make decisions about how other multiple-use activities like hunting and livestock grazing take place, which is of great importance to states like Utah, with more than 42% of the state managed by the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management. The department is also in charge of national parks and monuments, as well as ocean energy and conservation. It also houses the Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs. 


Confirmation hearings on department nominees will most likely begin the beginning of January, with the hope of being finalized before President-elect Trump takes office on January 20, 2025.