Emails obtained by the Associated Press reveal Doug Burgum as North Dakota governor aided oil and gas executives and leveraged connections to boost his profile.

Burgum succeeds Deb Haaland, who cut back on oil and gas sales and prioritized solar and wind projects on federal lands.

The Senate confirmed Doug Burgum as interior secretary late Thursday after President Donald Trump tapped the North Dakota billionaire to spearhead the Republican administration’s ambitions to boost fossil fuel production. The vote was 79-18. More than half of Senate Democrats joined all 53 Republicans in voting for Burgum.