Earth Resource Systems, LLC

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U.S. Space Command Moves Back to Huntsville, AL announced Sept-2025

Huntsville, Alabama or the “Rocket City”, home to  NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and  U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal will get back USSPACECOM.

As reported in a recent Huntsville Times article, the construction may be completed in the next couple of years.

https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/2025/09/us-space-command-can-be-running-in-huntsville-before-trump-leaves-office-official-says.html

Please visit the U.S. Space Command official website to learn more about their current and future role in our defense.

https://www.spacecom.mil/

Huntsville, a leading city in Alabama,  for engineering and manufacturing. Huntsville, a favorite hub for several major manufactures and defense contractors.

We are very excited about the opportunities this generates for small businesses like ours and for the people in Alabama.

 

 

 

 

 

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USA Labor Day 2025—the AI Resource Rush Starting Bell and Shot Fired

Labor Day Holiday Weekend

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As Americans drift into end of summer celebrations—cookouts, last trips to the beaches, back to school, start of college football season, shopping—the traditions marking the seasonal change from Summer to Fall has changed too. What is influencing our way of life today?

Changes to Traditions

The rate of change. Think of it as a rhythm. Going from classical instrumental music to electronic synthesized music. The sounds we are listening to are no longer crickets and rustling of tree branches like our ancestors. They sat on their porches at night because they did not have AC and lived in more rural environments. Now, the sounds are rich and enticing coming from state-of-the-art screens and sound systems. Most people no longer live in farming areas but in urban or suburban areas.

Rhythms

In the software development life cycle, it is like the change from the Waterfall method to the Agile method. The waterfall method is longer, has more requirements up-front before going to the next stage. It could take years to build a product. Industry used this method to build cars, rockets, homes in our previous generation. Today, we want things fast, so we build fast or is it vice versa? Anyhow, so we work with smaller teams, communicate expectations sooner, build prototypes sooner so we can see the end product sooner. Why? It is more efficient and waste less time to get a better product. The cadence or rhythm of communication has changed from waiting lengthy periods for feedback to interacting sooner and being nimble to change and accomplish the task.

Energy Efficiency

The race for resources started since humans have been on earth—progressing from dung to wood to coal to oil to natural gas to nuclear. Efficiency in energy usage going up with each type of resource available and used. Human ingenuity and knowledge also led to better efficiency. Stickers on our appliances now rate the Energy Efficiency. Some of our big-ticket purchases like cars, homes and appliances are based on efficiency. Why? We do not want to pay more for utility bills and gas. If you have money, you may not care as much.

Technological Changes

So, now that we are in this fast rhythm and with so many distractions, we may have missed the biggest change of all. The movement from the natural environment and human being centered world to the artificial-digital world and artificial intelligence dominance. It has been slow in some respects since the advent of the computer, internet, and iPhone—the span of my lifetime.

Robots

Some say it is because of the declining birth rates in the western world that we need these robots to fill labor positions. Some say we need migrants to fill labor positions. How many yards could be manicured, homes could be built, agricultural produce picked without human labor? Well, we now have robotic vacuum cleaners, John Deer has robotic tractors, we have robotic warehouse workers, we have drones, the list goes on and on. We also have artificial intelligence guiding us on how to be more efficient. Just remember, we are creating this intelligence by feeding it our knowledge and teaching it how to do things. It is a choice.

Artificial Intelligence and Human Labor

Some say soon there will be no turning back and that artificial intelligence will take over human labor. Well, it is like the horse and buggy days to the car, or the horse drawn plow to the tractor. It also ushered in a new era and way of working. With that came displacement of workers who did not know how to drive or want to know how to drive. Same as today—we are coming into a new era—the difference—do we have the resources to sustain it?

AI Energy Consumption

Some experts are now realizing that on planet Earth we may not have the resources to keep energy guzzling AI going. Why does Musk explore Mars? When you look at the energy consumption of ChatGPT (just one type of AI) and the data centers that house the computer servers that service AI—it is astounding—comparable to the energy consumption of entire countries like Argentina and Ireland. Yet, we have decided to go forth and promote and build these data centers. Massive data centers are currently being built in Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia.

AI Race is On

Why? Some say it is a race to AI dominance and therefore military dominance against China—like the race to the moon. The government is also turning agile and done away with mining permits that use to take 10 years to pass before actual mining could start. It has torn down regulatory barriers to drill on federal lands and passed Executive Orders—- Unleashing this AI resource rush for critical minerals and other energy needs in the USA. Our government has also bought out private companies or owned shares of private companies like MP and Intel—something unheard of before in the USA. Major reason–China has or controls the majority of rare earth minerals needed for computer chips.

Choices

Yes, for now, AI is a tool, and humans are in control to use it to make our lives better. It can process through the Big Data (all data written, video, photos, etc.,) in seconds that would take us hours, days, weeks or even years to process. It sees patterns that we are unable to grasp. What are we giving up? Our freedom to have a choice to work to earn a living whatever that may be. Something to mull over as you eat that hotdog, mow your lawn, enjoy the beach or lake, or come back from your Monday off…what will our next Labor Day look like?

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New Changes-United States Department of Interior Week of February 3rd 2025

Let us examine the vision of newly appointed and confirmed Cabinet members that will directly impact Energy and Environmental Policy in the United States.

First, Secretary of Interior, Mr. Doug Burgum, is a former successful businessperson, avid outdoorsman, and former governor of North Dakota. Congress unanimously approved him to serve as Secretary of the Interior.

In his X tweet on February 1, 2025, he stated:

 

Grateful to @POTUS for the honor to serve as Secretary of the Interior. We look forward to delivering on President Trump’s vision for Energy Dominance — which is the foundation of American prosperity, affordability for American families, unrivaled national security, and world peace. We will achieve Energy Dominance by sustainably developing our natural resources while championing clean air and clean water, protecting our most beautiful lands, and expanding outdoor recreation! And we will strengthen our mission of enhancing the quality of life, promoting economic opportunities, and empowering our Tribal partners through mutual respect, open communication, collaboration, and a sincere willingness to listen.

 

Here are the Six Orders he signed after taking office on February 3, 2025. Here is the condensed version:

  • Addressing the National Energy Emergency
  • Unleash American Energy Production
  • Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis
  • Announcing President Trump’s revocation of former Outer Continental Shelf Withdrawals
  • Achieving Prosperity Through Deregulation
  • Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential

https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-doug-burgum-signs-first-round-secretarys-orders-unleash-american-energy (the above and below details are directly from Dept of Interior website cited above.

Because it is critical to understand the magnitude of these changes, the details of Secretary Burgum’s orders are itemized below:

Date: Monday, February 3, 2025
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Doug Burgum officially began his tenure as the 55th Secretary of the Interior, marking the start of a new era focused on advancing American energy independence and ensuring the responsible stewardship of the nation’s public lands and resources.

On his first day in office, Secretary Burgum met with Department leadership, outlined his key priorities, took immediate steps to streamline processes that will enhance efficiency and innovation across the Department and advanced President Trump’s agenda by signing six Secretary’s Orders to make America Energy Dominant.

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the Department of the Interior,” said Secretary Doug Burgum. “We are committed to working collaboratively to unlock America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation. Together, we will ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our communities, respect tribal sovereignty, and drive innovation that will keep the U.S. at the forefront of energy and environmental leadership.”

  1.    Addressing the National Energy Emergency

One of Secretary Burgum’s first major actions was signing Secretary’s Order 3417, “Addressing the National Energy Emergency,” to address the President’s national emergency declaration by tackling the critical need for “a reliable, diversified, growing and affordable supply of energy.”

Interior will immediately undertake two efforts to address our nation’s inadequate energy supply and protect against this active threat to the national and economic security of the American people. First, Interior will immediately identify all emergency and legal authorities available to facilitate the identification, permitting, leasing, development, production, transportation, refining, distribution, exporting and generation of domestic energy resources and critical minerals.

Second, the Department will identify all emergency and other legal authorities available to expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriate infrastructure, energy, environmental, and natural resources projects. The Secretary will report the use of such authorities and submit recommendations for exercising certain authorities as necessary to the President.

  1.    Unleashing American Energy

Secretary’s Order 3418 aligns the Department with President Trump’s energy policy to, among other things, encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader and achieve energy dominance.

The order ensures the Department’s consistency with Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy” by immediately terminating all actions taken respecting the Executive Orders revoked by President Trump and a review of all agency actions that potentially burden the development of domestic energy resources.

The Secretary also directs a review of all appropriations from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure consistency with President Trump’s energy dominance policies. In addition to reviewing burdensome energy development policies, the order also directs a review of all domestic mining and processing of non-fuel minerals to restore America’s critical mineral dominance and takes steps to prioritize updating the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals and accelerating the ongoing geological mapping of the country.

The order will align the Department with the Trump administration’s Energy Dominance policies which include:

  • Encouraging energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf, to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future;
  • Establishing our position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals, which will create jobs and prosperity at home, strengthen supply chains for the United States and its allies, and reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial states;
  • Protecting the United States’ economic and national security and military preparedness by ensuring that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State and territory of the Nation;
  • Ensuring that all regulatory requirements related to energy are grounded in clearly applicable law;
  • Ensuring that the global effects of a rule, regulation, or action shall, whenever evaluated, be reported separately from its domestic costs and benefits, in order to promote sound regulatory decision making and prioritize the interests of the American people;
  • Guaranteeing that all executive departments and agencies (agencies) provide opportunity for public comment and rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis; and
  • Ensuring that no federal funding is employed in a manner contrary to the principles set out above, unless required by law.
  1.    Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis  

Following President Trump’s Executive Order on “Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis,” Secretary’s Order 3419, “Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis,” mandates the Interior Department to take immediate steps that will reduce living costs for American families.

The order initiates a Department-wide review of all programs and regulations that are unnecessarily causing higher living costs for hardworking American families to identify and recommend future actions to lower costs. Interior will focus on ways to eliminate harmful, coercive climate policies and lower the cost of energy, which in turn will restore purchasing power to the everyday American and improve overall quality of life.

  1.    Announcing President Trump’s revocation of former Outer Continental Shelf Withdrawals

Secretary’s Order 3420 directs immediate compliance with President Trump’s revocations of the Biden administration’s wrongful withdrawals of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing. S.O. 3420 notifies the Department that the “ban has been unbanned” and directs all bureaus and offices to comply with President Trump’s revocation of the withdrawals as outlined in Executive Order 14148, “Initial Recissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions.” Furthermore, Interior is immediately directed to resume taking all actions available to expedite the leasing of the OCS for oil and gas exploration and production.

The three withdrawals that have been revoked by President Trump’s order are:

  • Withdrawal of Certain Areas off the United States Arctic Coast of the Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Gas Leasing (March 13, 2023);
  • Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing (January 6, 2025);
  • Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing (January 6, 2025).

The Department will resume taking all actions available to expedite the leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf for oil and gas exploration and production.

  1.    Achieving Prosperity Through Deregulation

Secretary’s Order 3421 directs the Department of the Interior to support President Donald J. Trump’s deregulation agenda, as outlined in the Executive Order Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation.” The goal is to reduce red tape, enhance national security and improve the quality of life for U.S. citizens. Interior will eliminate at least 10 existing regulations for every new one introduced and ensure that the costs of new regulations are offset by removing the costs of previous ones. All of the Department’s bureaus and offices are tasked with streamlining financial management and reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens.

  1.    Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential

Secretary’s Order 3422 directs the Department to take all necessary steps to unleash the State of Alaska’s abundant and largely untapped supply of natural resources. This Order implements Executive Order 14153, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” by among other policies, efficiently and effectively maximizing the development and production of the natural resources located on both federal and State lands within Alaska.

S.O. 3422 withdraws Secretary’s Order 3401, dated June 1, 2021, and reinstates Secretary’s Order No. 3352, “National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska,” dated May 31, 2017, to prioritize the prudent development of natural resources in Alaska and beyond to ensure the Nation’s geopolitical security. The Secretary directs an immediate review of all punitive restrictions that have targeted resource development in Alaska and requires the Interior Department to develop plans of action to carry out President Trump’s agenda for how Alaska can help make America Energy Dominant again.

As the Department of the Interior moves forward under Secretary Burgum’s leadership, these initiatives set the foundation for a renewed focus on responsible resource management, economic growth, and cultural preservation. By advancing policies that honor America’s heritage while fostering innovation and sustainability, the Department remains committed to serving the interests of the American people and strengthening the nation’s environmental and energy future.

Now, many Americans do not know the organizational structure of the Department of Interior. Let us take a look:

The U.S. Department of the Interior is a Cabinet-level agency that manages America’s vast natural and cultural resources. Our department employs some 70,000 people, including expert scientists and resource-management professionals, in eleven technical bureaus:

 

    Bureau of Indian Affairs

    Bureau of Indian Education

    Bureau of Land Management

    Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

    Bureau of Reclamation

    Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

    Bureau of Trust Funds Administration

    National Park Service

    Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    U.S. Geological Survey

Please visit the Department of Interior website at link below which will allow you find out more about each individual bureau.

https://www.doi.gov/bureaus

Now, the changes that will take place in this Department will be critical to the overall success and mission of Energy and Environmental Policy in the next few years.

Expect more organizational changes and streamlining to come:

OMB 25-13—this past Friday, February 7, 2025, all federal agencies were to submit an assessment of their agency based on Executive Orders filed on January 20, 2025.

Lastly, much controversy with DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency—newly created. It sits within the former and renamed, United States Digital Service initially authorized by President Obama as an executive department to provide IT services and consultation to federal agencies. The now Department of DOGE Service (USDS) established a US DOGE temporary organization within the USDS, headed by Elon Musk which will terminate on July 4, 2026. DOGE is like an independent auditor of the federal agencies. It also established an USDS Administrator to sit in the Executive Office of the President. Vivek Ramaswamy who initially was going to be part of DOGE and serve with Elon Musk opted to pursue potentially running for Governor of Ohio. He is credited with much of the initial formation and substance of DOGE.

My small company, a geological and natural resources firm and federal contractor (WOSB), is preparing for opportunities that will come with these new orders and changes.

Next week, this blog will look at the United States Department of Energy.