Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, in New England as part of his ongoing review of national monuments, told Reuters that the United States can become a “dominant” energy force by boosting mining and drilling on federal lands. The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the land in the country.
“There is a social cost of not having jobs,” Zinke said in a Reuters interview. “Energy dominance gives us the ability to supply our allies with energy, as well as leverage our aggressors or, in some cases, our enemies, like Iran.” U.S. oil production has risen to near-record levels in the past decade although the share coming from federal lands declined from about one-third in 2010 to about one-fifth in 2015, said the news agency, adding that President Trump “is seeking to sweep away many Obama-era environmental and climate initiatives to bolster the U.S. oil, gas, and coal industries.”
Trump ordered a review of national monuments created since the mid-1990s. At least six of them may contain oil, gas, and coal, said Reuters. Zinke has recommended that the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument be reduced. He said he is likely to make similar recommendations for other national monuments.
While climate change is a challenge, Zinke said, jobs are a priority. “If you don’t have an economy, you can’t afford to put in the environmental protections you need.”