By BEN NEARY
NMWF Conservation Director
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation announced Thursday that it’s pleased with President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., to serve as U.S. Secretary of Interior.
Jesse Deubel, executive director of the NMWF, said Haaland has shown a strong commitment to preserving wildlife and natural resources within New Mexico and nationwide.
“In her time in Congress, Haaland has demonstrated true commitment to the West,” Deubel said. “As vice-chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, she played a critical role in the passage this summer of the Great American Outdoors Act and has worked hard protect our natural resources.”
The GAOA, which President Donald Trump signed into law this summer, secured permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The law commits some $900 million a year for acquisition of important conservation properties while also directing billions more in coming years to address deferred maintenance at federal facilities.
Haaland was re-elected last month to her second term representing New Mexico’s first congressional district, centered around Albuquerque. She responded to policy questions from the NMWF during her fall campaign.
Haaland told the NMWF that said she would continue fighting in her second term to allocate funding to enrich New Mexico wildlife and habitat protection programs.
“In addition, I have introduced the 30×30 Resolution to Save Nature, which sets a national goal of conserving 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030,” Haaland said. “If we can put such a goal in place, it will make the path to increasing conservation funding easier.”
The NMWF strongly supports the 30×30 effort and recently released a report detailing its importance. Read the report HERE.
In recent remarks to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Haaland said, “We as human beings depend on the planet for the things we need to live — clean water, the food we need that we get from farming, hunting and fishing; shelter; everything. It has been that way since time immemorial.”
Biden has said he will support the 30×30 goal. Haaland told the TRCP that she was really excited when the hunting and fishing community expressed support for the 30×30 initiative as a way to protect biodiversity.
Among other responsibilities as interior secretary, Haaland will be in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, overseeing wildlife refuges and millions of acres of wilderness. She will also oversee the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which manages millions of acres in the West.
“The NMWF works hard to assure public access to and protection of public lands,” Deubel said. “The federation has been disturbed by recent federal actions that frankly have shown a relative disregard for New Mexico’s precious wildlife and cultural resources at the expense of energy production. We’re looking forward to a more balanced approach under Secretary Haaland.”
As a Native American, Haaland will bring a valuable perspective to the role of interior secretary in making sure the federal government meets its trust responsibilities to American Indians, Deubel said. Haaland is an enrolled member of Laguna Pueblo.
Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said Biden’s selection of Haaland will conserve public lands and waters, restore wildlife populations, and honor our Tribal commitments.
“By nominating Representative Deb Haaland, President-elect Biden is signaling that his administration is committed to delivering for future generations through his bold agenda,” O’Mara said. “The challenges our public lands face are too important for any delays. The U.S. Senate should swiftly take up her historic nomination, so she can get to work.”