Burgum Defends Fossil Fuel Push, Dems Block Cuts

0:00It's April 21st. Welcome to Engage News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Interior Secretary Doug Burgham faced off with House Democrats in a budget hearing, defending the Trump team's push to lighten rules on oil and gas. While dialing back wind in solar projects, he called it a fix for Biden's heavy tilt toward renewables, saying the old approach ignored reliable energy sources. Burgham stressed the admin backs hydro and nuclear power, but questions whether tied solar and wind for jacking up costs to everyday ratepayers. Democrats fired back, accusing the Interior Department of freezing offshore wind and slowing solar bills right after taking office. Rep. Shelley Pingri from Maine slammed it as knee-capping job, creating renewables over big oil grudges while California's Josh Harder pushed for. Quicker permitting to ramp up clean energy. The hearing zeroed in on a $16 billion budget request, flat from now, but down 12 percent from last year's levels with deep cuts, hitting national

1:01park service operations by $757 million. Lawmakers also flagged local headaches like mining threats in Minnesota's boundary waters, rundown parts near DC, and wild horse overpopulation on Bureau lands. Republicans like Chairman Mike Simpson joked those burrows top their priority list amid the budget fights. Tensions run high as this energy showdown shapes up the fiscal year ahead, with Dem's vowing to block the cuts and push back on fossil favoritism.