President-elect Donald Trump has nominated North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Interior, a move hailed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC).

As Interior Secretary, Burgum will lead the U.S. Department of the Interior. The department employs approximately 70,000 employees in 11 technical bureaus: the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement, and the federal bureaus of Indian Affairs, Indian Education, Land Management, Ocean Energy Management, Reclamation, Safety & Environmental Enforcement, and Trust Funds Administration. The department provides access to more than 500 million acres of public lands, 700 million acres of subsurface minerals, and 1.7 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf.

“Being selected to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior is an incredible honor and an enormous responsibility, and I’m deeply grateful to President Trump for this opportunity to serve the American people in such a broad capacity,” Burgum said. “Serving as Interior Secretary is an opportunity to redefine and improve upon the federal government’s relationship with tribal nations, landowners, mineral developers, outdoor enthusiasts and others, with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.”

NCBA and PLC congratulated Gov. Burgum on his nomination.

“Governor Burgum’s experience navigating natural resources issues in North Dakota, coupled with his business acumen and extensive agriculture background, make him uniquely qualified to be Interior Secretary.” said Kaitlynn Glover, NCBA executive director of Natural Resources and PLC executive director. “Ranchers across the country congratulate Governor Burgum on his nomination and are excited to see a return of common-sense and science-based analysis to Interior’s rulemaking process.”

She continued: “The Governor understands that grazing is a key tool and economic driver to prevent catastrophic wildfires, boost wildlife conservation, and support rural communities. Burdensome Endangered Species Act and NEPA rulemakings have led to the increased prevalence of wildfires, degradation of rangeland, and reduced wildlife conservation efforts. NCBA and PLC support the Governor’s nomination and look forward to a swift confirmation process.”