Seeking to add what she said was consistency with the Interior Department's role, Secretary Deb Haaland on Friday jettisoned a number of secretarial orders her predecessor in the Trump administration issued to boost the nation's energy production.
Haaland revoked a dozen orders issued by David Bernhardt in what she said was a move to bring Interior in line with President Biden's effort to address climate change. Among the orders she tossed out was one that aimed to expedite energy development off the Atlantic Coast, another to 'streamline," as Bernhardt put it, the National Environmental Policy Act to expedite environmental studies on projects on federal lands, and another that removed former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell's moratorium on coal production from federal lands.
"From day one, President Biden was clear that we must take a whole-of-government approach to tackle the climate crisis, strengthen the economy, and address environmental justice,” said Deb Haaland. “At the Department of the Interior, I believe we have a unique opportunity to make our communities more resilient to climate change and to help lead the transition to a clean energy economy. These steps will align the Interior Department with the president’s priorities and better position the team to be a part of the climate solution.”
“I know that signing Secretarial Orders alone won’t address the urgency of the climate crisis. But I’m hopeful that these steps will help make clear that we, as a department, have a mandate to act,” she added. “With the vast experience, talent, and ingenuity of our public servants at the Department of the Interior, I’m optimistic about what we can accomplish together to care for our natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.”
The Interior secretary also withdrew M-37062, an opinion which said Interior must "promulgate a National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program consisting of a 5-year lease schedule with at least two lease sales during the five-year plan."
Her actions drew approval from some groups and U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee.
"This administration understands that preventing climate collapse and putting our economy on a more sustainable path takes a lot of work and meaningful consultation with people impacted by federal policies," the congressman said. "Today’s secretarial orders set up our country for success on all fronts and move us past the fossil fuel reliance and pro-polluter agenda of the Trump administration. Real solutions require long-term engagement by dedicated public servants, not relying on quick fixes and magic bullets, and I applaud Secretary Haaland for taking a smart, science-based, public-facing approach to building a more sustainable and prosperous economy.”
The president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, Collin O'Mara, said Haaland's actions show that she and Biden "are serious about fulfilling their promises on climate and working collaboratively with states and communities to conserve and restore our public lands and waters for future generations.”
"... we need to restore the balance of responsible energy development with the importance of restoring lands and waters, recovering wildlife, and supporting outdoor recreation," said O'Mara. "Rescinding the previous administration’s orders that encouraged unfettered drilling in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas and establishing a Climate Task Force will help ensure wise management of our natural resources for people and wildlife alike."
Haaland revoked the following orders:
- SO 3348 – “Concerning the Federal Coal Moratorium” (March 29, 2017)
- SO 3349 – “American Energy Independence” (March 29, 2017)
- SO 3350 – “America-First Offshore Energy Strategy” (May 1, 2017)
- SO 3351 – “Strengthening the Department of the Interior's Energy Portfolio” (May 1, 2017)
- SO 3352 – “National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska” (May 31, 2017)
- SO 3354 – “Supporting and Improving the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program and Federal Solid Mineral Leasing Program” (July 6, 2017)
- SO 3355 - Streamlining National Environmental Policy Reviews and Implementation of Executive Order 13807, “Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects” (Aug. 31, 2017)
- SO 3358 – “Executive Committee for Expedited Permitting” (Oct. 25, 2017)
- SO 3360 – “Rescinding Authorities Inconsistent with Secretary's Order 3349, “American Energy Independence’” (Dec. 22, 2017)
- SO 3380 – “Public Notice of the Costs Associated with Developing Department of the Interior Publications and Similar Documents” (March 10, 2020)
- SO 3385 – “Enforcement Priorities” (Sept. 14, 2020)
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Comments
No Director....not even nominated...get on with it already..
A new director is needed, a fresh face that will address the poor employee moral.
Agree. Disappointed BLM has a nominee before NPS. Not sure why the Coalition hasn't commented yet or the other National Park "Friends" - let's hope some pressure is being put on the new DOi team. Starting to look a lot like DOi wants to control the NPS just like the last Administration.
For some perspective, President George W. Bush didn't nominate Fran Mainella as NPS director until June 2001, and President Obama didn't nominate Jon Jarvis until June 2009.
Not to put too fine a point on it, good organizational governance would suggest having those above the NPS Director in the department hierarchy in place and able to offer their input on who occupies that position before you finalize the selection.
Due to overt and covert political stalling and posturing in the Senate, Daines and Barrasso leading the charge, even the Secretary has not been in position very long. Several of those key positions under her and above the NPS Director have only just recently been filled; political wrangling forced the Secretary to change strategies on at least one of those positions; and some key positions are still not settled.
If you want quicker and smoother transitions in the future, don't let people like Daines and Barrasso or anyone else in their party hold office. But, don't just pummel the victim for having to slow down to deal with the usual perpetrators.
Who will speak for the poor in our country who suffer because of Haalnads' actions?
Julie Gross --- Are you kidding?
Let's be honest here. If any of the poor in our country truly do suffer because of the Secretary's actions, the people who will speak up for them will be the same people who have already been speaking up about the incredible damage done by the Trump Administration and the party that supports it.
Fran Mainella was nominated by President Bush on June 4, 2001.
Well, ticking credibility clock, those of us in the conservation community have been waiting to get through the Tracy Stone-Manning confirmation, which seems to be moving slowly for some reason. Perhaps you're in a good position to explain to us all why that confirmation is moving so slowly?
But, if you're really in pain to get someone confirmed as NPS Director, maybe you might feel better if we could just shift the Tracy Stone-Manning nomination from BLM over to NPS. Would that work for you? It would work very well for me.
And, there have been a lot of comments, here on NPT, about how the NPS needs a director from outside the agency, somebody who has not been indoctrinated into the agency culture and who could thus see things from a different perspective. Well, I have good news for those folks. Tracy Stone-Manning certainly hasn't been indoctrinated into the existing NPS culture and she would certainly see things from a different perspective; but, she does have a long history of involvement and excellent relevant experience with the issues. I believe she would have a very good grasp of what it would take to bring the NPS back to its core missions and to reform and improve the agency ...from head to toe. Personally, I think she would be exactly what our national parks need in these interesting times and I would strongly support her for the position. Would you?
Jon Jarvis was nominated for NPS Director on July 10, 2009. It has been 1,655 days since the NPS had a confirmed Director.