Bismarck Tribune: Letter: Burgum should uphold Roosevelt’s legacy
Mark Motsko | April 8, 2025
“We have become great because of the lavish use of our resources. But the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils have still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields and obstructing navigation.”
Theodore Roosevelt used these words to describe the very threats we face today, including oil and gas development adjacent to the National Park bearing his name. Over the past few weeks, the Interior Department, which is led by North Dakota’s former governor Doug Burgum, proposed several oil and gas leases adjacent to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit, placing this magnificent resource at risk in a multitude of ways.
I spent five years in the early 90’s as a manager at the North Unit of the Park, and have firsthand knowledge of the Park and its spectacular resources, particularly the clean air, night skies and sense of wilderness. Developing oil and gas adjacent to the Park is in direct conflict with the protection of its natural resources – and does a grave disservice to President Roosevelt’s conservation legacy.
During my time at the park, I also became closely familiar with North Dakota’s citizens, and witnessed a pride of having a National Park in their state like no other in my 32 years of service with National Parks. Many of the local residents had grandfathers who worked for the CCC and built many of the structures which are still used today. They are proud of their heritage and Park.
I know Secretary Burgum is aware of this, and hope that he will uphold the conservation legacy of President Roosevelt by withdrawing these proposed leases along the boundaries of the Park.