WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland issued two secretarial orders Friday establishing a “Departmental Climate Task Force” within the Department of Interior and revoking prior secretarial orders that are inconsistent with the Biden administration’s commitment to climate action. Order No. 3398 reiterates the department’s policy “to conserve and restore our land, water, and wildlife; [and] to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Among the Trump administration actions rescinded: A May 2017 order that eliminated regulations on the energy industry and “embraced development of energy resources on public lands.”
Environment America Public Lands Campaign Director Ellen Montgomery issued the following statement:
“These orders are great news for our public lands and for the American public. Secretary Haaland is building on President Biden’s strong start by restoring conservation as a priority for the Department of the Interior. Our public lands and waters should be protected for the sake of the wildlife and people who depend on them. They should not be mined and drilled to extract fossil fuels — an antiquated 20th century pursuit that pollutes our air and makes climate change worse.”
