As the 2025 government shutdown continues, the Trump administration is prioritizing oil and gas extraction above all other uses of our public lands. President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have kept national parks irresponsibly and illegally open despite furloughing thousands of park rangers and other federal land managers, while declaring all employees who work on oil and gas as “essential” during the shutdown.
In response to the President’s made-up “national energy emergency,” Secretary Burgum has ordered oil and gas permitting and leasing to continue on public lands during the government shutdown. This decision is yet another example of how the Trump administration is moving ahead with its “energy dominance” agenda, while selling out America’s public lands, waters, and wildlife.
Deeming oil and gas leasing and permitting as “essential” during the shutdown sends the clear signal that the Trump administration cares more about appeasing the oil and gas industry than it does about reopening the government and restoring the critical services federal agencies provide to American families.
The Center for Western Priorities’ Oil & Gas Shutdown Tracker monitors the approval of federal onshore oil and gas drilling permits and leases issued during the 2025 government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025. As of November 4, the shutdown is tied for the longest in history. The tracker will be regularly updated.