The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) expressed its support for the nomination of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to serve as the next Department of the Interior secretary.
In a letter to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Commitee Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), ORR and 33 of its national member organizations highlighted Burgum’s support for outdoor recreation, economic growth and the preservation of public lands and waters.
“Gov. Burgum’s track record in supporting outdoor recreation and his understanding of the outdoor recreation economy make him uniquely qualified to lead the Department of the Interior,” ORR wrote in the letter. “As an avid outdoorsman and a proponent of public-private partnerships, Gov. Burgum’s leadership is critical to ensuring the long-term success of outdoor recreation as an economic driver and community connector.”
Burgum recently established North Dakota’s Office of Outdoor Recreation after participating in ORR’s National Outdoor Recreation Executive Forum in Washington, D.C. ORR said he demonstrated a commitment to outdoor recreation through economic innovation.
ORR also highlighted Burgum’s leadership needed to address the growing demands and challenges on public lands and waters.
“Outdoor recreation contributes $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy, supports 5 million American jobs and represents 2.3% of the nation’s GDP,” ORR wrote. “Strong leadership at the Department of the Interior is essential to sustain this growth and expand access to the outdoors for future generations.”
ORR said the group looks forward to collaborating with Burgum and Congress on policies supporting outdoor recreation and strengthening local communities and economies.
