March 15, 2021
Western Resource Advocates today celebrated the groundbreaking confirmation of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland to serve as secretary of the Department of the Interior. Haaland is the first Indigenous cabinet member and the first Indigenous woman to lead the agency that oversees tribal lands and manages a fifth of the nation’s lands, many of them in the West.
“Deb Haaland’s historic confirmation to lead the Department of the Interior is well deserved and presents a significant opportunity to address urgent conservation challenges facing the Western United States,” said Jon Goldin-Dubois, president of Western Resource Advocates. “Secretary Haaland brings invaluable perspective and expertise to this role as President Biden works to swiftly undo four years of destruction under the previous administration and protect our land, air, water, and climate. She will be a champion for smart policies that help our region exist in better balance with nature while centering the needs of underrepresented communities – particularly Indigenous communities who have lived on and managed this land for hundreds of years – in decision making. Western Resource Advocates is committed to this work, and we look forward to working with Secretary Haaland and states across the West to confront these and other challenges head-on.”
Western Resource Advocates has worked for 31 years to ensure clean air and water, connected and protected Western lands, healthy flowing rivers, and urgent climate action. As the West experiences more extreme weather and intense wildfires due to climate change, swift action is needed to limit global heating within 2 degrees Celsius and ensure our children inherit a livable planet.
Contact
Jamie Trafficanda, 720-763-3737, jamie@westernresources.org
