WASHINGTON – Deb Haaland, President Joe Biden's nominee to head the Interior Department, says oil and natural gas will continue to play a major role in America for years to come, even as she pledged to be a “fierce advocate" for public lands and address climate change.
In testimony prepared for her confirmation hearing Tuesday, the New Mexico congresswoman said she is committed to “strike the right balance" as the agency manages energy development and seeks to restore and conserve federal lands.
Biden's agenda, including the possible creation of a Civilian Climate Corps, “demonstrates that America’s public lands can and should be engines for clean energy production" and “has the potential to spur job creation,'' Haaland said, addressing