Dozens of groups cheer Secretary Haaland as she takes the reins at Interior

Below are dozens of statements from groups around the U.S. celebrating the historic confirmation of Secretary Deb Haaland to lead Interior. For information, contact tony_iallonardo@tws.org. 

 

All Pueblo Council of Governors, Chairman Wilfred Herrera Jr., former Governor of Laguna Pueblo

“We applaud the U.S. Senate for confirming Secretary Deb Haaland to lead the Department of Interior. This confirmation is a defining moment for Indigenous peoples not only in the United States but around the world. Indigenous peoples are the original stewards of our lands, waters, skies, and of all living beings.  Secretary Haaland’s leadership of the Interior Department provides a long-overdue opportunity to strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship and help our nation swing the pendulum on our most pressing indigenous and environmental justice issues,” shared APCG Chairman Wilfred Herrera Jr., former Governor of Laguna Pueblo.

 

All Pueblo Council of Governors, Secretary David M. Toledo, former Governor of Jemez Pueblo

“Madam Secretary, APCG applauds your leadership, your dedication, your grit, and your courage at this historic moment. All Pueblo people, and women in particular, will find inspiration in your journey and your passion to serve. This moment will be remembered as an example that no glass ceiling is unbreakable.”

 

Pueblo Action Alliance, Alliance Director Julia Bernal

The global climate crisis is attributed to settler colonialism and the exploitation of natural resources cultivated from stolen Indigenous landscapes and the mismanagement of those resources. There needs to be a paradigm shift and having a Pueblo Indigenous feminist perspective in this cabniet position could enstill a lot of hope for meaningful tribal consultation and more importantly tribal consent. Deb Haaland will bring that worldview into land and water management practices that will work towards a just transition to a cleaner energy economy and more equitable approaches to better frontline and Indigenous communities who have suffered from the presence of the oil and gas industry. Many of the agencies under DOI deal with tribal affairs and historically haven't done an efficient or respectful job of including sovereign tribal nations. Places like Chaco Canyon and Bears Ears and the waterways that supply Indigenous people in the Southwest could have longer standing chances if they are managed through a Pueblo Indigenous feminist perspective that implement core values like respect and reciprocity and give personhood to our waterways.

 

Jamie Williams, president of The Wilderness Society

“We’re thrilled to welcome Secretary Haaland as the first Native American Interior secretary in U.S. history. Her record makes clear she will champion managing public lands as part of the climate solution, improve protections for our cherished lands and waters, and ensure everyone benefits from our shared lands. Secretary Haaland will be an extraordinary leader at a critical moment in the stewardship of our public lands and the people and communities that rely on them.

 

“Secretary Haaland is uniquely equipped to modernize the Interior Department, and turn the corner on decades of discrimination against Native Americans and their tribal nations. We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland and the Interior Department to take on these opportunities to solve our climate crisis in an equitable and just manner.”

 

Kathleen Rogers, President, EARTHDAY.ORG

“EARTHDAY.ORG wholeheartedly congratulates Deb Haaland for her confirmation as Secretary of Interior. Secretary Haaland’s appointment is a landmark development and a major victory for indigenous peoples and environmental justice. Her efforts in Congress proved she is a true champion for the environmental movement, and we look forward working with her over the next four years to combat the climate crisis.”

 

The Rewilding Institute, Kim Crumbo, Wildlands Coordinator

“The Rewildling Institute celebrates confirmation of Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior. The Biden administration’s selection of an impeccably qualified person for this essential cabinet role promises a return to responsible stewardship of America’s public lands and diversity of wildlife. As the first Native American member of a U.S. presidential cabinet—her unique perspective will strengthen the voice defending our nation's wildlands. Her life’s experience, including growing up in a military family, brings the strengths and compassion essential for the task of protecting our nation’s environment for the future of all its wild and human inhabitants.

 

MIT Alumni for Climate Action, Shiladitya DasSarma, PhD, Founder

Congratulations to Deb Haaland for becoming America's Secretary of the Interior and the first Native American to lead a US Cabinet agency. She cares deeply about our country and we are confident that she will help to set us on the right course to net-zero carbon emissions with clean technology and innovation. Secretary Haaland is the right leader for our time and America's scientists and engineers are ready to help her get the job done.

 

Western Colorado Alliance, Member Karen Rose

With the confirmation of Representative Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior, we have a leader of integrity who will truly put our public lands first, protecting their irreplaceable heritage for the generations to come. With her background in military life, community service, and native heritage, Deb Haaland will bring a valuable and necessary perspective to this important position

 

Democracy for America, Yvette Simpson, CEO

“Deb Haaland epitomizes everything we envision our country to be -- progressive, ecologically conscious, and resilient, with a vision for clean water, clear air and clean energy. Her leadership is the balm our country needs at this critical time for our environment. We rejoice in her appointment and celebrate the history that is being made. As Secretary of the Interior, not only will she make history as the first Native American and first woman of color to hold the position, she will be the guardian that this country so desperately and justly needs, a leader born of 35 generations of indigenous people who are one with the land. This is a win for our country.”

 

Azul, Founder and Executive Director Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš

"As an organization committed to environmental justice, Azul celebrates the historic confirmation of Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary. Her experience and leadership in pursuing legislation for equal access to public land and waters make her the ideal partner in our years-long quest to ensure that everyone has access to nature and its benefits. ¡Enhorabuena, Rep. Haaland! We look forward to working with you in making sure our communities thrive in a clean, just environment."

 

American Canoe Association, Brett Mayer

“We are thrilled about the Biden administration’s selection for Secretary of the Interior and are confident that Rep. Haaland will listen to science, protect our nation’s river, lakes, streams, and oceans, and ensure that paddlers everywhere have access to clean water.”

 

Western Watersheds Project, Erik Molvar

“The Biden administration has selected an impeccably qualified Secretary of Interior, and we have every confidence that Deb Haaland will be a strong defender and a responsible steward for the federal lands and imperiled wildlife under her charge,” said Erik Molvar, Executive Director of Western Watersheds Project. “It’s long past time to have an Indigenous leader at the helm of the Interior Department, and Rep. Haaland’s excellent track record of conservation on the House Resources committee is a strong indication that our nation will have its first strong conservationist in decades heading Interior.”

 

Lisa Ramsden, Senior Climate Campaigner, Greenpeace USA:

“Today, Deb Haaland made history. The first Native person to lead the Interior Department, she now stands poised to reclaim public lands and waters and put public health above polluter profits. Fossil fuel interests and their Republican allies in Congress fought her nomination every step of the way, but this time the voice of the people won out. We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland to ensure workers and communities are protected as our country transitions away from oil, gas, and coal and toward renewable energy.”

 

Sunrise Movement, Executive Director Varshini Prakash

“We are thrilled that Secretary Deb Haaland was confirmed to the Presidential Cabinet, and that President Biden listened to the Indigenous movement groups and allies that pushed for her confirmation, despite the Senate Republican’s campaign against her. Secretary Haaland is not only one of the first co-sponsors of the Green New Deal, but she believes that achieving Indigenous sovereignty over stolen land is instrumental to transforming our economy and stopping the climate crisis. Now, she must wield her power to crack down on fossil fuel corporations and evict companies that drill for oil on public lands and in public waters. We are excited to see the progress she makes and will be standing with her as she pushes us closer to the vision of a Green New Deal.”

 

“As a Native Woman in public office it is incredibly inspiring to see someone like me rise to such an important, visible and powerful office.  I’m so grateful that the responsibility for our National lands will be overseen and protected by someone who is so deeply connected to them. I am glad to support Secretary Haaland as she takes her place in HERstory.” - April Fournier, At-Large City Councilor, Portland, ME

 

Save the Boundary Waters

"Rep. Haaland's confirmation as Interior Secretary is a historic moment for our nation," said Tom Landwehr, Executive Director of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters. "As the first Indigenous cabinet Secretary, Rep. Haaland will play a pivotal role in healing the wounds suffered by Tribal communities and ensure their voices are heard in the management of our shared public lands. Rep. Haaland has a stellar bipartisan record of fighting for science, climate action, and the protection of iconic landscapes, critical cultural sites, wildlife, oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. We look forward to working with her to protect and preserve Minnesota's Boundary Waters, the most visited Wilderness in the United States."

 

SODA, Rev. Dr. Jim Watkins

“SODA (Stop Offshore Drilling in the Atlantic), a grassroots, all volunteer, non partisan, organization is looking forward to working with the Department of the Interior under the leadership of Deb Haaland.  At her core, she understands the necessity of protecting creation.” The Rev. Dr. Jim Watkins, Leadership Team

 

Climate Change Leadership Institute, Founder Robb Hirsch

“This is a great day in American history to have Deb Haaland the first Native American nominated and confirmed for the position of US Interior Secretary. It makes us so proud of our country and so proud of her as she will help take care of people and protect our environment like never before.” 

 

Avid4 Adventure, Paul Dreyer (CEO)

“We applaud President Biden’s choice for Secretary of the Interior.  Rep. Deb Haaland will be of voice for all people.  We look forward to her voice supporting equitable access on our public lands, particularly for our country’s kids and young adults who need healthy connections to the outdoors now more than ever.”

 

The Mountain Pact, Anna Peterson

“We are beyond thrilled to have Secretary Haaland, the first indigenous woman as the head of the Department of Interior. We are lucky to have someone with such extensive experience protecting our public lands to now be at the helm of America’s most majestic places. Public lands are the backbone of our Western mountain communities and vital for our way of life. She will lead our country’s management of public lands into the future by addressing the climate crisis; reviewing our antiquated and broken federal oil and gas leasing program; and putting us on a path to protect more of our lands and waters for future generations.”

 

Ronnie Jo Horse, Executive Director, Western Native Voice

“Western Native Voice is excited about President Biden’s choice for Secretary of Interior! Deb Haaland is breaking glass ceilings being the first Indigenous person to lead the U.S Department of Interior. Secretary Haaland embodies our mission at Western Native Voice of inspiring Native leadership so our communities flourish. We are eager to see what new outlook and tone Secretary Haaland and the Biden-Harris Administration establish toward Tribal Nations and future generations of this country.”

 

“On behalf of myself, the board, my staff and our members, we are elated and would like to congratulate Rep. Deb Haaland’s confirmation as Secretary of Interior. This is a historic moment to have a member of the first peoples of this land, now at the helm of the agency that oversees natural resources, public land management and the relationship between the federal government and tribes. This is a landmark moment of Indigenous leaders young and old, who will now see someone like them with shared values and experiences in a top leadership position in a presidential cabinet. We cannot overstate the positive influence and impact this moment has for Indigenous leadership both now and the next generations to come.“ said Ronnie Jo Horse, Executive Director of Western Native Voice.

 

Mike Painter, Coordinator, Californians for Western Wilderness

“Secretary Haaland has shown her deep commitment to public lands as a Congresswoman, bringing the perspective of a Native American with generations-long ties to the land. She will bring that commitment and perspective to the Department of the Interior, as well. We look forward to her fresh ideas there.”

 

Bold Alliance, Jane Kleeb (Founder)

“Sec. Haaland reminds us all that the land is everything. Her leadership in the room with the most powerful leaders of our nation means a voice for the land and water will be prominent and honored.”

International Fund for Animal Welfare, Azzedine Downes, President & CEO

“Congratulations to Secretary Haaland on this historic achievement. A proven leader with bona fide credentials, Secretary Haaland will bring the Department of the Interior on the path to right many of the wrongs from the previous four years and tackle the biggest existential biodiversity threats of our time, from climate change to extinction.

 

Reprioritizing climate and conservation is critical, and with the appointment of Secretary Haaland, the Biden Administration has reaffirmed its commitment to securing a livable future on this planet.  We look forward to working alongside Secretary Haaland to ensure that animals and their habitats are properly protected and preserved now and for future generations to come.”

 

Jon Goldin-Dubois, president of Western Resource Advocates

“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. 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.”

 

Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Shelley Silbert, Executive Director:

“As a country, we are in great need of the leadership skills and perspective that Sec. Haaland will bring to the Department of the Interior.  As the first indigenous woman to lead the department, we believe Sec Haaland will carefully consider future generations of all species as she makes critical decisions about public lands and waters.  We are excited to work with Sec. Haaland and the expertise she brings to this role, and we applaud her strong commitment to environmental justice, climate stability, and protection of habitat for the diversity of life on Earth.”  

 

350.org US Organizing Director Kendall Mackey

“An Indigenous-led, nation-wide movement ensured Biden nominated Haaland to this post, and now we’ve successfully made sure the Senate confirmed her. The historic nature of this nomination is significant to everyone in the US, and is indicative of momentum towards building a livable future for all of us. Haaland is an experienced leader, who models a true commitment to Native leadership and climate justice. Under Haaland’s leadership, the Department of the Interior, which has the biggest impact on the lives of Native Peoples’, will play a critical role in respecting Indigenous sovereignty, keeping fossil fuels in the ground, and protecting our land and water. We will work with her to ensure a just and equitable transition to a regenerative, people-powered economy.”

 

Washtenaw350 founders, Rita Mitchell, Lisa Patrell, and Lauren Sargent

“Deb Haaland is the steward the land and water needs. Past profiteers who have taken a hold of the office of Secretary of Interior have served corporate and private interests. Government must serve the People’s interests. Deb Haaland will reorient the work of the office for its proper purpose.”

 

“Secretary Haaland’s appointment is a win for all Westerners. Western lands and landowners have been stretched thin by the previous administration’s prioritization of fossil fuel extraction above all other uses,” said Barbara Vasquez of Cowdrey, Colorado, a member of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. “With vast swaths of public land locked up for development and protections for the people who live on and rely on this land eviscerated, Secretary Haaland’s leadership could not be more timely and necessary. As a New Mexican and an enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo, she understands the need to reduce the impact of rampant oil and gas development on our land, air, water, and people. Requiring these corporations to pay for their cleanup and restoration rather than leaving the mess for us will put thousands of Westerners back to work while protecting our farmland, forests, and rivers.”

 

“Representative Haaland’s confirmation to the Department of Interior is a monumental moment for Indigenous people. For the last two years, she has fought against the destructive acts and policies that disproportionately affect our ancestral Indigenous lands and communities of color. Representative Haaland understands the critical need to reform the Department to ensure that these abuses never occur again.” Nicole Donaghy, Executive Director of North Dakota Native Vote

 

Conservation Colorado board member and member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ernest House, Jr.

“Secretary Haaland’s confirmation symbolizes a new opportunity for a partnership between the federal government and tribes who were once excluded from the halls of power. With Haaland as a federal leader, we see an inclusive future where ancestral and sacred lands will be managed and honored through an indigenous lens. The national effort of protecting 30 percent of our land and water by 2030 is achievable through tribal and indigenous partnership.”

 

Conservation Colorado executive director Kelly Nordini

“For far too long the voices of tribes and Indigenous peoples have been wrongfully ignored when it comes to decisions about ancestral and public lands. Deb Haaland’s historic confirmation marks a new day. Her conservation expertise and inclusive brand of leadership will elevate the voices of Tribes and prioritize the equitable protection of public lands as we all work together to protect 30 percent of U.S. lands and water by 2030.”

 

Bucks Environmental Action, Sharon Furlong, Spokesperson

“President Biden’s nomination of the first indigenous woman to serve in a Cabinet post is in and of itself historic. But to nominate this woman, Deb Haaland, is a stroke of brilliance. She is a powerful voice for those who have rarely, if ever sat at the decision table. She comes from a tradition of balance with the Natural world. She has ample experience negotiating the roiling waters of political realities. She is whip smart and strong in character. She has a track record of opposing destructive and exploitive industrial practices and has done so in a targeted, measured and powerful fashion. We are possibly in end times and therefore have no more time to lose…..Deb Haaland is the best choice for these dangerous moments if we are to have a future where there is a chance to begin the restoration of our badly damaged lands.”

 

Orca Network president Howard Garrett

“We welcome Deb Haaland’s deep native heritage and understanding of all forms of life as our relations, each plant and animal a sacred being with its part to play in the unfolding story of life on earth. As decisions are made to improve human lives we know Sec. Haaland will proceed with knowledge of the importance of ecological threads that bind earth, air and water, and ourselves to it all.”

 

Montana Environmental Information Center, Cari Kimball (Executive Director)

“We at MEIC are celebrating the appointment of Sec. Deb Haaland to lead the US Department of the Interior. Haaland brings an impressive breadth of experience to this position—from her roles as community leader, business owner, mother, elected official, lawyer, 35th generation American, and member of the Laguna Pueblo community. If her intent to take the long-view while balancing the needs of people, land, water, air is considered radical by some Montanans, then it’s a reflection of how broken our system is and how out of touch some of our state’s leaders are. MEIC looks forward to Sec. Haaland’s fierce advocacy for thoughtful natural resource and tribal policy.”

 

Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Meredith Trainor, Executive Director:

SEACC would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Secretary Deb Haaland for her historic confirmation, and our thanks to Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan for their ‘yes’ vote! Secretary Haaland is the climate champion Alaska needs, and brings long overdue Indigenous perspective to public land management. We look forward to working with Haaland on the many public land issues that the Department of the Interior manages in Alaska, not least of which includes our 17 national parks and 16 wildlife refuges.

 

Friends and Neighbors of the Deschutes Canyon Area, Marilynne Keyser, President:

As stewards of the Wild & Scenic middle Deschutes River and the lower Crooked River in Central Oregon, we are excited to have Secretary Haaland at the helm of the Department of Interior.  The protected rivers and canyons we steward are the ancestral lands of Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.  Secretary Haaland, as a Tribal member with deep knowledge and leadership experience, is exactly the person we need now to preserve our public lands, stop abuse by extractive industries, encourage responsible recreation, and protect the Indigenous culture and history that is the beating heart of most Western lands.

 

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO), Camilla Simon, Executive Director:

Congresswoman Haaland has made history as the first Native American woman to lead the Department of the Interior, a symbol of the progress that is yet to come under her tenure, and an important opportunity for the protection of our public lands. A long-time advocate for expanding and preserving public lands so that future generations can continue to enjoy these special places, her track record of stewardship allows Indigenous and Latinx communities the opportunity to continue to practice the multicultural traditions that are reflected in our diverse landscapes. We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland, a champion for equitable access in the outdoors, and the first Indigenous Cabinet Secretary. 

 

Madrean Archipelago Wildlife Center (MAWC), Kate Scott, Founder/Director:

Deb Haaland’s confirmation as Interior Secretary begins a historic journey of wisdom, dignity, respect and compassionate stewardship of our nation’s precious air, lands, waters and wildlife.

 

Youth United for Climate Crisis Action, New Mexico, Yang Toledo Steering Committee Member

As supporters and endorsers of Representative Deb Haaland in New Mexico, we are excited to welcome her as the FIRST Indigenous person to serve as a Cabinet Secretary. In the days to come, we can decide what gets built. With only 9 years left to take bold action on one of the largest existential threats facing our generation, this nomination and the grassroots power behind her gives us hope. Instead of oil barrels in our backyard profiting executives and shareholders, we can use this moment to build a sustainable economy for all. This nomination is going to be remembered for generations to come.

 

New Energy Economy, New Mexico, Mariel Nanasi, Executive Director:

“Representative Debra Haaland's nomination represents an historic moment. Finally, after centuries of struggle, an Indigenous leader who understands the sacred value of the earth will preside over the management and stewardship of public lands. We need a leader like Representative Haaland to reinstate and strengthen federal regulatory laws that exist to protect our communities, to put an end to the contamination, despoilation and desecration of the commons, and to honor the sovereign rights and guardianship role of our Indigenous communities. Rep Haaland is uniquely qualified to balance the varying interests and weigh cumulative impacts of decisions, and not just give corporate interests the unfettered right to ruin our only home. She will uphold the nation’s charter for the protection of the environment, ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. As the Secretary of the Interior she will manage and oversee development on public lands in a manner that safeguards the public welfare. She understands that she must consider the environmental consequences of the department’s actions on this and future generations.”

 

GreenFaith, Rev Fletcher Harper, Executive Director

“We applaud this historic confirmation of Rep Deb Haaland as the new Secretary of the Interior. With our sacred earth very much at risk, we thank them for listening to the Indigenous grassroots groups that advocated for her nomination and hope this will be step towards regulating oil, gas, and coal companies that have continued to exploit our public lands at the expense of people and planet.”

 

Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks

“We applaud today’s historic confirmation of Deb Haaland as the new Secretary of the Interior and we look forward to having a public lands champion in the office,” said Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. “There is much to be done to restore the National Park Service to the proud agency it has been for over a century and to allow our national parks to be able to fulfill the mission set by Congress so that these nationally significant natural, historic, and cultural resources can continue to be enjoyed by millions of visitors each year. We celebrate this positive step forward today and look forward to working with Secretary Haaland to protect and preserve our national parks.”

 

Wildlands Network Executive Director Katie Davis:

Wildlands Network celebrates the confirmation of Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior. In leadership, as in nature, diversity matters. For too long the voices of native and indigenous peoples of the United States have been silenced or ignored in conversations about natural resource management. As the first Native American Secretary of the Interior—and moreover the first Native American member of a U.S. presidential cabinet—her unique perspective will strengthen the voice defending our nation's wild landscapes. We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland and the Administration to advance the protection and restoration of habitat for wildlife, toward a vibrant future for nature across North America.

 

Louie Psihoyos, Executive Director, Oceanic Preservation Society

“Today’s confirmation of Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior is an important moment for our oceans and our planet. Secretary Haaland is committed to tackling the crises we face -- climate change, species extinction, the diminishment of wildlands and healthy oceans, and the disenfranchisement of indigenous communities--and will ensure the Interior Department uses its full power to do so. She understands that we all have a common bond to, and are reliant upon, the natural world. She has already made history as one of the first Indigenous Congresswomen and we look forward to the great strides she may take in rebalancing our relationship with nature.”

 

Grand Canyon Trust, Executive Director Ethan Aumack

"We're incredibly grateful to have Deb Haaland as our new interior secretary. She brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the position including a deep knowledge of land issues and tribal sovereignty, demonstrated success working with all sides to advance conservation in Congress, political chops as a party leader in New Mexico, and the know-how to navigate challenging dynamics as a tribal administrator. Having an Indigenous woman at the helm of the U.S. Department of the Interior is long overdue, but the fact that it's Deb Haaland means we're that much more fortunate. We look forward to working with her to reinstate science, advance land and water conservation, and elevate the voices of Indigenous leaders at interior."

 

New Mexico Asian Family Center, Executive Director Sachi Watase

“The confirmation of Representative Deb Haaland would be an important step in the direction of fighting a system of white supremacy. It is far too late for Rep. Haaland to be the first Indigenous person to lead this department, one that deeply impacts Indigenous communities, making it imperative that her nomination is quickly approved.”

 

Western Leaders Network, Executive Director Gwen Lachelt

“Over the next four years, the Department of the Interior will have a major role in mitigating the climate crisis, addressing environmental injustice, planning for a clean energy future, and reversing the destruction of our public lands, cultural resources and wildlife habitat. Secretary Deb Haaland has proven she is up to this immense challenge, and, as a 35th-generation New Mexican and member of the Pueblo of Laguna, understands that indigenous and western voices must be considered and included in Interior decisions. With Secretary Haaland at the helm of the Department, local and tribal elected officials can have confidence in the stewardship of our public lands and cultural resources, and hope for a future in which all communities enjoy clean air and water and have safe, equitable access to the great outdoors.”

 

Friends of the Earth, Senior Fossil Fuels Program Manager Nicole Ghio

“Friends of the Earth congratulates Deb Haaland on her Senate confirmation as Secretary of the Interior. As a champion of our public lands and waters and the communities that rely on them, Haaland is best suited to rebuild the Department of the Interior. 

 

The hostile hearing and hypocritically harsh treatment Haaland received from fossil fuel-friendly Senators says a lot about pervasive racism in our political systems and society. That several of those same Senators happily supported Trump’s unapologetically racist Bureau of Land Management nominee William Perry Pendley is shameful but unsurprising.

 

A member of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, Haaland will be the first Native person to lead the DOI. We hope through Haaland’s leadership the new administration will keep its promise to advance policies and practices that are aligned with environmental justice principles. We look forward to working with Haaland to overturn the Trump Administration’s efforts to turn our shared wild places over to extractive industries.”

 

Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Executive Director Shaaron Netherton

“We are very relieved and excited that Deb Haaland has been confirmed as Interior Secretary. The Department manages two-thirds of the land in Nevada, so we are acutely aware of the impacts that management decisions have on the ground. We are confident that under Ms. Haaland’s direction, those decisions will be based on sound science and will prioritize conservation of our natural resources. Her experience and perspective as an Indigenous person will bring the kind of leadership we need at the Cabinet level of the federal government.”

 

New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Executive Director, Dr. Virginia Necochea

“The New Mexico Environmental Law Center proudly supports President Biden's nomination of Rep. Debra Haaland as the nation's first Native American cabinet secretary. We anticipate this historic moment of seeing our own New Mexico Congresswoman confirmed in the Senate on Monday evening to lead the Interior Department. We look forward to working with her after she is confirmed to see more equitable and just policies applied to how our public lands are managed. It is long past time to #ConfirmHaaland and have a Native American at the helm of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other federal departments that oversee so many policies that impact Indigenous people across the U.S. During this time of continued racial reckoning, this confirmation is a step in the right direction toward truth and reconciliation addressing major harms committed against Indigenous tribes.”

 

 

Tewa Women United’s Statement on Congresswoman Deb Haaland’s Nomination as Secretary of the Interior Department

 

Congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo and 35th generation New Mexican, is set to become the first Native American member of the Cabinet as President-elect Biden’s nominee to head the Department of the Interior.

 

Haaland’s nomination to this position is extraordinary for many reasons, and particularly significant to Native communities. As Secretary of the Interior, she will be in charge of the government department that oversees 500 million acres of public lands, as well as manages national parks, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

 

Dr. Corrine Sanchez, executive director of Tewa Women United, said, “This is a powerful moment for Indian Country, and in particular for us as Indigenous women and girls from the Pueblo communities in New Mexico, to have a woman in this position for the first time ever — someone who looks like us, shares our values, our perspective our voice, and our connection to the land, understanding the importance of what the Earth means to us as far as our cultural and spiritual existence as Native people.”

 

As a longtime advocate for clean water with a stellar bipartisan record, Congresswoman Haaland will listen to science, be guided by her Pueblo communities’ core values and her lived experience as a Pueblo woman to ensure the Interior Department fulfils its obligation to the public by protecting our nation’s rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans. As the first Indigenous cabinet Secretary, she will be a passionate champion for environmental justice and will fight to ensure access to clean water is not dependent on where you live.

 

It is imperative that the Senate act quickly to approve Congresswoman Haaland’s historic nomination to ensure the Department has a permanent leader to fulfill its mission, implement the widely-supported Biden-Harris plan, and protect our public lands for future generations. 

 

Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director, Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)

We congratulate Representative Deb Haaland on her Senate confirmation as Secretary of the Interior. She is a champion for communities nationwide. Whether fighting for the protection of the Tongass rainforest or saying no to fossil fuel pipelines, she has consistently taken action for protection of water, land, Indigenous and frontline communities, and our global climate. Her confirmation is a testament to the excellence, expertise, and powerful leadership of Indigenous women worldwide, and we celebrate her confirmation. As the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, at this time of many crises, we look forward to her leadership in restoring and advancing climate and land protection policies, while protecting this very planet and all of our children and future generations that we hold dear."

 

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)

Meleiza Figueroa, National Climate Action Coordinator

“For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples stewarded the land, water, and ecosystems of Turtle Island and maintained a vast, vibrant mosaic of cultures and economies to ensure the health and prosperity of their people and all future generations. For the first time since the colonization and establishment of the United States, an Indigenous woman is in the position of top steward of our public lands and common resources; and in charge of the Federal trust responsibility to 573 federally recognized Tribal Nations. In this time of dire ecological, economic, and humanitarian crisis, the return of an Indigenous perspective to the stewardship of these lands, and the commitment Secretary Haaland has demonstrated to upholding Tribal sovereignty and protection of cultural resources and landscapes, is a huge step forward towards the healing of this nation’s deep wounds. PDA is very proud of our years of work with Secretary Haaland. We applaud her confirmation and look forward to a new era where increased Tribal inclusion and partnership, particularly in the realm of environmental restoration and protection of our public resources, can lead to a more just and sustainable future for us all.”

 

Nevada Conservation League, Paul Selberg, Executive Director

“As the state with the largest share of nationally managed land, Nevada values leadership at the Interior Department that is competent, insightful, and visionary - and Secretary Deb Haaland is that leader. As one of the first Native American women elected to the House of Representatives, Secretary Haaland has a strong record as a trailblazing leader that delivers on the unique needs of Western states, for Indigenous communities, and for much-needed climate action. After four years of desecration by the Trump administration, we know that Secretary Haaland will restore the protections that our lands, air, and waters critically needed to deliver on the seventh generation promise to our sustainability and posterity. We applaud the Biden administration and Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen for confirming our nation’s first Indigenous Cabinet member

 

Dale McCall, President, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union

Monday, our nation, and the State of New Mexico will make history as the first Native American will officially lead the United States Department of the Interior.  Congresswoman Deb Haaland is expected to be confirmed Monday evening.  A 35th generation New Mexican, Rep. Haaland has a bipartisan record of fighting for science, climate action, and the protection of iconic landscapes, critical cultural sites, wildlife, oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. She is also a champion for the creation of good-paying clean energy and outdoor recreation jobs. She will lead the Department and implement the Biden-Harris climate and conservation plan while protecting our access to public lands and putting people before the profits of the oil and gas industry.

 

The Ohio Environmental Council, Nathan Johnson, Public Lands Director

“Rep. Haaland is an environmental champion willing to implement the bold action necessary to address our climate crisis. Her advocacy for tribal communities will ensure that environmental justice is at the forefront of the Interior’s decisions. Her commitment to curtail pervasive environmental threats to Ohioans, such as methane pollution, is critical to the health of our communities. We applaud her historic confirmation to lead the Department of the Interior.”

 

Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Michael Dotson, Executive Director

Modern-day public lands under the administration of the Interior Department were once all Indigenous lands. As a tribal member of Laguna Pueblo, Secretary Haaland traces her ancestry to sacred places like Bears Ears in Utah. She has a monumental task ahead of her to restore morale within her own agency and rebuild trust with tribes and Native communities that have historically been overlooked and ignored by previous administrations.

 

"We celebrate the historic moment of Deb Haaland’s appointment as Interior Secretary and the first Indigenous Cabinet member," said Michael Dotson, Executive Director of the Oregon-based conservation group KS Wild. "She has an incredible track record at elevating science, encouraging collaboration, and organizing in front-line communities. These are values that we share. We look forward to working with the Secretary as she elevates diverse voices for conservation and attempts to transform an agency long rooted in white-settler colonialism."

 

 

Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice, President

“We offer our wholehearted congratulations today to Rep. Deb Haaland on her appointment to lead the Department of Interior. This moment calls for a truly visionary leader, who understands the existential threats of climate change and collapsing biodiversity and the corresponding imperative to protect our precious lands and waters for current and future generations.  That is Secretary Haaland.  She has a stellar bipartisan record of fighting for science, natural stewardship, climate action, and tribal sovereignty, while championing good-paying jobs in a clean energy economy.

 

The historic appointment of the first Native American woman to lead the Interior Department, which holds so much sway over the lands and rights of sovereign tribes, marks a new day of opportunity to address the wrongs perpetrated by the federal government and begin to remedy enduring injustices for Native communities.  We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland to protect this nation’s treasured lands and wildlife and building together toward a more resilient future.”

 

Endangered Species Coalition

The Endangered Species Coalition congratulates Secretary Haaland on her confirmation to lead the Department of Interior, and on becoming the first Native American Cabinet Secretary in U.S. history.  We look forward to her strong leadership on wildlife conservation, public lands and all issues overseen by Interior.

 

Defenders of Wildlife, Jamie Rappaport Clark

“Defenders of Wildlife applauds the historic confirmation today of Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary. The Department of the Interior badly needs her perspective and leadership to restore the public’s trust, to rebuild and re-staff the department and to advance policies that protect the nation’s public lands and wildlife.”

Sierra Club, Chris Hill, Our Wild America campaign acting director

“Haaland’s lived experiences are critical to reorienting Interior toward people, Indigenous rights and climate-focused, science-based conservation. We look forward to seeing our country’s lands and waters integrated with efforts to increase outdoors equity, mitigate climate impacts by protecting 30 percent of lands and water by 2030, and foster healthier communities.”

 

Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, Camilla Feibelman, chapter director

“New Mexicans are bursting with pride to see our own Deb Haaland leading the Department of the Interior. She understands the bold, meaningful progress we need to heal our climate, our lands and people’s connection to them. The collaborative spirit she brought to safeguarding the region around Chaco Culture National Historical Park from encroaching extraction will serve her well as steward of our nation’s public lands.”

 

Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation

“Deb Haaland is the exact leader we need to steward our public lands using a balanced approach to job creation, responsible energy development, wildlife recovery, habitat restoration, clean water safeguards, cultural treasure protection, and access to outdoor recreation. Secretary Haaland and the Interior Department face a range of challenges, and we stand ready to work with her and her team to create good jobs restoring our public lands, tackle the climate crisis, recover imperiled wildlife populations, and ensure our natural resources endure for generations to come.”

 

Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund:

“The Senate’s confirmation of Deb Haaland carries enormous meaning for this country. As the first Native American Cabinet Secretary, Secretary Haaland leads the agency responsible for stewarding public lands, protecting fish and wildlife, and fulfilling the nation’s trust responsibility to sovereign tribes. A Native American Interior Secretary is long overdue, and Deb Haaland is extraordinarily well-suited for the role. 

“Her selection also reflects the Biden administration’s strong commitment to taking bold action to address the climate crisis. As a Member of Congress, Rep. Haaland was a leading advocate for the health of her constituents in New Mexico, including supporting rules to cut methane waste and pollution from oil and gas production facilities and policies that advance environmental justice. Under her stewardship, the Department of the Interior will have an important role in tackling methane emissions on public and tribal lands and ensuring our nation’s resources serve the public.”

 

Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA):

“Today is a historic day for all of us who care for our public lands and waters. Secretary Haaland is a fierce advocate for the protection of our parks, sacred landscapes and the environment. As a descendant of the original guardians of our lands, she brings a unique perspective, unlike any Interior Secretary before her. She has vowed to elevate and engage underrepresented communities with an eye towards rebuilding the agency and the public lands it protects. Better representing the makeup and values of our country will help ensure that everyone can see themselves reflected and feel welcomed in these important places.

 

“With climate change, the ongoing global health pandemic and racial injustices wreaking havoc on our communities, our national parks and public lands have provided places of healing, reflection and inspiration for so many people. Now, more than ever, we need bold leaders like Secretary Haaland, who are ready to take on the challenges facing our public lands with a commitment to climate solutions and environmental justice.

 

“For more than 100 years, NPCA has worked alongside Secretaries of the Interior to protect, strengthen and defend our national parks, ensuring their air is clear, their water is clean and their wildlife is thriving. We look forward to building a more equitable future and lasting legacy for our parks and public lands with Deb Haaland at the helm of the Interior.”

 

LaTricea D. Adams, Founder CEO & President, Black Millennials 4 Flint

As a Black Woman, the confirmation of Secretary Deb Haaland is a triumph for me, my elders, my ancestors and other Black and Brown women and girls all over the world. I feel optimistic with an environmental justice champion on the forefront of one of our most sacred gifts--our land which has been stolen, pillaged and destroyed through centuries of white supremacy and corporate greed. I feel safe in the hands of Secretary Deb Haaland as our BIPOC forefathers and foremothers had a deeply rooted, spiritual connection to the land. This confirmation will be the first step towards achieving restorative justice. This confirmation is the healing we all need to restore the earth borrowed from our children. This confirmation will truly bring us to 'the land of the free and the home of the brave' and that brave woman is Secretary Deb Haaland."

 

Brian Sybert, Executive Director, Conservation Lands Foundation

“Conservation Lands Foundation and our community-based partners across the West are inspired by the Senate’s confirmation of Congresswoman Deb Haaland as the next Secretary of the Interior.



“Secretary Haaland is the person the country needs to lead the agency that protects our nation’s diverse cultural and natural heritage, restores and stewards our public lands, ensures access to the outdoors for all Americans, honors the sovereignty of Tribal nations, supports economic opportunities in rural communities, and safeguards wildlife and wild places for future generations to enjoy.



“We look forward to supporting Secretary Haaland’s leadership and our common goals in every way we can and in every community across the west where we work.”

Union of Concerned Scientists, Dr. Kathy Rest, Executive Director

“In Congress, Representative Haaland has demonstrated a deep concern for environmental justice, conservation and climate change. She knows the role science and evidence should play in making policy, and we are excited to see her put her knowledge and values to work as secretary of the Interior.

 “Representative Haaland will be the first Indigenous person to serve as a member of the Cabinet. Her confirmation is historic and brings a much-needed perspective to the Department of the Interior. Throughout U.S. history, Indigenous people have been marginalized in federal policy and excluded from decisions that affect their lives and their communities. As a member of the Laguna Pueblo, Representative Haaland has the experience and vision to steer the Department of the Interior in a new direction and better protect the lands that hold such cultural, ecological and economic importance to Indigenous groups.

“For the last four years, the Department of the Interior focused on rolling back conservation efforts—dismantling the Endangered Species Act and sidelining science in order to open public lands for mining and fossil fuel extraction. Representative Haaland has the qualifications to restore the department’s original mission and lead efforts to fight climate change, advance environmental justice and prioritize public over narrow private interests. We look forward to working with the new secretary of the Interior to protect our nation’s ecosystems, cultural heritage and the climate—for the benefit of communities across the country, including tribes.”

Adam Cramer, Outdoor Alliance

“Deb Halaand is going to do a fantastic job as our next Secretary of the Department of the Interior. She has a rare depth of experience and perspective for the job. The gravity of having the first Indigenous person serve as Interior Secretary should be lost on no one. The growing bipartisan support is inspiring and gives us confidence that she will navigate the path ahead for our public lands deftly and with great purpose.”

 

Ryan Gellert, CEO, Patagonia

“Congratulations to Deb Haaland on her historic appointment as Secretary of the Interior. We look forward to working with her to protect our nation’s public lands and waters so we can build economic opportunity, empower Indigenous and local communities and slow the climate crisis. Haaland will be a leader who will not only manage our country’s natural resources, but also work to conserve land for future generations. We hope she will help transform the Department of the Interior from an agency prioritizing extractive industry profits to one protecting wild places and sustainable economic opportunity.”

 

The Alliance for Appalachia, Christa Faulkner

“We congratulate Representative Deb Haaland on her historic Senate nomination as Secretary of the Interior. We look forward to working with Secretary Haaland to strengthen and extend AML programs to reclaim abandoned mines, a source of toxic pollution into many of our rivers and streams, and redevelop them into economic opportunities in our region.”

 

Outdoor Advocacy Project, Katie Boué

“We join outdoorists across the country in welcoming Secretary Deb Haaland to the helm of the Interior. We look forward to working under Secretary Haaland’s leadership on the many intersections of outdoor advocacy, including protecting public lands, climate action, supporting a just transition, and building a more equitable outdoors. During this critical time for our land, water, air and communities, Secretary Haaland gives us hope for a brighter future.”

 

Trustees for Alaska, Alaska, Vicki Clark, executive director:

"Today we congratulate Representative Deb Haaland as the next secretary of the Department of the Interior, and the first Indigenous person confirmed as a cabinet secretary. Her appointment brings with it her commitment to the health of Alaska and its sacred and public lands, and her legacy of putting people's health and ways of life before profit interests. We can now look forward to a future where the department charged with protecting the lands important to human health and cultures is guided by someone who has vowed to protect them. We can now look forward to a future where a department with the power to take impactful climate action is led by someone who has championed clean energy jobs and climate justice. This day is long overdue for the nation and gives hope for its future. It’s time for celebration."

 

NAVA Education Project & NM Native Vote, Albuquerque, New Mexico

“NAVA Education Project and NM Native Vote send our most sincere congratulations to Madam Secretary Deb Haaland and we celebrate this momentous occasion in history that is her confirmation to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior.

 

For far too long there has been an undeniable lack of adequate representation for Native Americans in the highest levels of the U.S. Government but today Native Americans and especially Native American Women can rejoice that one of us, a woman and citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, has been elevated to such a crucial position. Secretary Haaland will lead with care and the utmost consideration of Tribal Nations and the preservation of our lands, natural resources and sacred sites. She will be a critical leader in the battle to mitigate and avert the worst effects of the climate crisis. We will look to her leadership to uphold and guide the principles of a Just Transition so that Native American communities nationwide may have a voice and seat at the table as many more local, state, and tribal governments begin to invest in a renewable energy economy.

 

Congratulations Madam Secretary on becoming the first Native American Woman to serve in a cabinet position. This is a deserved accomplishment and acknowledgement of your experience. As fellow New Mexicans, it has been our honor and pleasure to work with you and support your service to New Mexico’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. We look forward to continuing to work with you in this new office. Da’wah’eh.” 

 

Rocky Mountain Wild, Chris Talbot-Heindl, Communications & Membership Manager

Rocky Mountain Wild celebrates Representative Deb Haaland’s historic confirmation as the nation’s first Indigenous Secretary of the Interior! By having a seat in the Cabinet — for the first time — Indigenous people will have a voice in the White House and an opportunity to shape policies within rather than advocating from outside.

 

Representative Haaland has a record as an advocate for science, climate action, and the protection of sacred sites, wildlife, and natural landscapes. She has also witnessed the impacts of mining and environmental injustice. Her insight and expertise position her to be a formidable champion for our public lands and a voice for our marginalized communities facing disproportionate consequences of our extractive industries.

 

We believe Representative Haaland is the perfect antidote to both the lack of representation and deregulatory industry-focused policies indicative of the last four years and the ideal choice to implement the Biden-Harris plan to protect our public lands for future generations.

 

California League of Conservation Voters, Mary Creasman, CEO

“Secretary Haaland’s confirmation is a historic moment for our country. After four years of harmful policies and rollbacks, Secretary Haaland is an environmental champion who will work for local communities instead of corporate polluters. 

 

It is important to recognize the U.S. government’s history of taking land from Indigenous people and the significance of having an Indigenous leader bring that history, knowledge, and experience to the agency responsible for managing public lands. Her confirmation will play a role in finally bridging the gap between the federal government and Tribal communities.

 

Secretary Haaland holds a stellar track record of listening to science and fighting on the forefront of the climate crisis. We look forward to leadership that will prioritize implementing climate action, creating clean energy jobs, and protecting public lands for current and future generations to enjoy.”

 

Center for Large Landscape Conservation, Gary Tabor, President 

“The Center for Large Landscape Conservation looks forward to working with Secretary Haaland to advance more equitable, inclusive, and enduring solutions to the dual biodiversity and climate crises threatening communities and ecosystems."

 

Maine Conservation Voters: Statement of Kathleen Meil, Director of Policy and Partnerships, Maine Conservation Voters

 

“We appreciate and support the historic nature of Secretary Haaland’s confirmation. As the first Indigenous leader of the agency responsible for vast tribal lands and public lands, Haaland will play a pivotal role in advancing climate justice. She has spent her career fighting for families, including in tribal nations, rural communities, and communities of color,” said Kathleen Meil.

 

“We applaud Sens. Collins and King for voting to confirm Rep. Haaland. Her confirmation is a historic win for climate action, the movement to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030, and the prioritization of American health over the profits of the fossil fuel industry,” said Meil.

 

“While Secretary Haaland may be the first Indigenous cabinet secretary, she will not be the last. We look forward to lawmakers taking Haaland's lead on Tribal issues, at the federal level and here in Maine.”