Secretary Haaland promises to work to advance President Biden’s vision
On Tuesday, March 16, 2021, Deb Haaland took the oath of office to become the 54th Secretary of the Department of the Interior—making history as the first Native American to hold the office.
“I am proud and humbled to lead the dedicated team at Interior as we seek to leave a livable planet for future generations. Together, we will work to advance President Biden’s vision to honor our nation-to-nation relationship with Tribes, address the climate and nature crises, advance environmental justice, and build a clean energy future that creates good-paying jobs and powers our nation,” she said about the position.
Her statement reflects President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (EO 14008). As such, one of Sec. Haaland’s most immediate projects will be a collaboration between the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and other relevant agencies, to develop a plan to establish a Civilian Climate Corps Initiative.
This new Civilian Climate Corps—considered a modern upgrade of the Civilian Conservation Corps established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his New Deal in 1933—per the EO, is to be focused on “mobilizing the next generation of conservation and resilience workers and maximize the creation of accessible training opportunities and good jobs. The initiative shall aim to conserve and restore public lands and waters, bolster community resilience, increase reforestation, increase carbon sequestration in the agricultural sector, protect biodiversity, improve access to recreation, and address the changing climate.”
Sec. Haaland’s full statement can be viewed here: https://www.doi.gov/news/statement-deb-haaland-becoming-54th-interior-secretary
Learn more about President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad at the link below.
