American Rivers statement on nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior
December 17, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers, released the following statement today in response to President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Representative Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior:
“We congratulate Rep. Haaland on her historic nomination to lead the Department of the Interior. She brings strong leadership and deep commitment to the conservation of our nation’s public lands and waters. A member of the Laguna Pueblo People and a 35th-generation New Mexican, she will be the first Native American to serve as Secretary of the Interior.
Once confirmed by the Senate, Rep. Haaland will represent a new chapter for the department that has a unique trust relationship with sovereign tribes and oversees conservation and management of thousands of miles of rivers and 500 million acres of public lands including national parks, wildlife refuges and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Rep. Haaland has expressed her understanding of the importance of rivers such as the Rio Grande, San Juan and Gila.
Healthy rivers can be part of the solution to the biggest challenges facing our country, including climate change, the economy, public health, and injustice. We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland and the Biden-Harris administration to ensure investment in healthy rivers is a top priority.”
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