Julie Radoslovich Senate District 26 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Representative Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Interior. The Department of the Interior is responsible for managing national parks, approximately 450 million acres of public lands, overseeing wildlife and conservation efforts, and upholding Federal trust responsibilities to Indigenous communities.
During her time in Congress, Rep. Haaland has been an advocate for the environment and public lands. She has introduced legislation aimed at making parks and monuments more inclusive by removing names that are considered racist, anti-Indigenous, or offensive from public spaces. If confirmed as Interior Secretary, she would be the first Native American to hold a cabinet position.
Biden's administration has pledged to prioritize climate action, including setting a national goal to protect 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030 and taking steps to halt new fossil fuel leasing on public lands. Haaland has supported the 30×30 initiative in the House.
Chris Hill, acting director of Sierra Club’s Our Wild America campaign, responded positively to Haaland's nomination. Camilla Feibelman, Director of Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter, is also available for comment.
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