Minerals Management Service to undergo reform?

Salazar claims he will solve problems by dividing the oil leasing/revenue collecting agency-

It’s an obscure agency in the Dept of Interior to some, but not to the oil companies or the federal treasury. It collects more money than any federal agency except the IRS. It has been the seat of a number a scandals in recent years from undercollecting royalities, lax safety and environmental oversight, and giving out oil and gas leases for sex from oil lobbyists.

When Salazar took office he said these days were over.  He hopes splitting the environmental oversight and safety part of the agency from the leasing and royalty collection will help.

In other news, public support for more offshore drilling is collapsing in the polls. So is perception that Obama is doing a good job handling the situation.

Here’s a story from the Washington Post. Minerals Management Service to undergo radical overhaul. By Juliet Eilperin and Ed O’Keefe:

Interior Chief Slams Oil and Gas Groups’ ‘Election-Year Politics’

Salazar condemns oil industry lies about leasing on public lands-

Well good for the Secretary of Interior!

I don’t watch much television, but when I do, I’m amazed at the number of ads energy companies are producing. I’d bet 90% of the population believes that “BP” stands for beyond petroleum, not the company’s actual name — British Petroleum.

Interior Chief Slams Oil and Gas Groups’ ‘Election-Year Politics’.  By Noelle Straub. Greenwire in the New York Times.
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For a great blog on the future of energy, visit the Oil Drum.

I am adding it to my blogroll. RM

Salazar continues Gale Norton’s “no more Wilderness” policy

New York Times editorial complains-

No ‘No More Wilderness’. New York Times editorial

Speaking of Utah specifically. Despite a huge base of roadless country, Utah has made a small contribution to the National Wilderness Preservation System compared to other Western States, especially given the high percentage of state being U.S. public lands.  Utah could stand another roadless area inventory, coupled with Wilderness recommendations, but the state delegation has not supported any Wilderness bills for the state in Congress except for one recent unique designation of a Great Basin mountain range in order to block access to disliked proposed nuclear waste disposal facility on the Skull Valley Indian Reservation.

Salazar gives a mixed decision on reanalysis of tracts wrecked in gas auction by Tim DeChristopher

Eight tracts will not be auctioned; 52 studied more, 17 given up to oil and gas interests-

Tim DeChristopher’s brave disruption of the December 2008 oil and gas lease auction in Utah has resulted in a new decision by the new Secretary of Interior. Politicians and groups are characterizing it in differing fashions according to their political party and interest.

I’d call the decision mixed.

Interior boss says no to drilling on 8 Utah parcels. Auction fallout » Salazar vows to develop oil, gas ‘the right way.’ By Patty Henetz And Thomas Burr. The Salt Lake Tribune

Update. LA Times story on Salazar’s decision. Few Bush-era energy leases are valid, report finds. By Nicholas Riccardi

Environmentalists baffled by Obama’s [legal] strategy

One of the easiest ways to get rid of bad policies is ignored by the new Administration-

Passing new laws is hard, and it is controversial. Issuing executive orders is less so, but still difficult. Settling suits against laws and regulations you don’t really support anyway is below the radar screen.

It hard for conservationists to understand.

Environmentalists baffled by Obama’s strategy. By Jim Tankersley. LA Times.

With almost none of Obama’s Interior nominees confirmed and in office, Harry Reid decides to take on a Republican filibuster so to seat Salazar’s number two position

Despite our complaints about Salazar’s views, the GOP has taken unprecedented steps to oppose Salazar’s repeal of Bush’s policies for opposite reasons-

I can’t think of any other Administration where the minority party has tried so hard and been so successful preventing a new President from filling the positions in a government department. Rather than build allies among conservation groups to help in these battles, however, Salazar has pursued his own anti-conservation policies. Time to rethink?

If Reid is successful blocking the filibuster, an irony will be to make Obama even more reliant on his often troublesome views. High noon in Salazar showdown. A key Senate vote on his top aide at Interior is set for today amid high partisan tensions. By Michael Riley. The Denver Post

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Update. Reid fails to overcome Republican filibuster by 3 votes. Sixty votes are needed to invoke closure — kill a filibuster. New York Times. The vote was 57-39.

Hayes is said to be an environmental lawyer, but there seems to be a question as to how much he worked to protect it versus get corporate lobbyists access in his position during the Clinton Administration.

Will Salazar be as tough on law breaking off-road rally as on Tim De Christopher?

This is the critical test of whether only pro-environment conscientious objection is prosecuted-

Today about 1000 ATV and 4 x 4 owners are going to deliberately violate the law and charge up the Paria River’s bed in the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument. Because they have announced the event as a deliberate violation of the law, it is consciencious objection. The Secretary of Interior’s action will shows us whether only one side on conservation issues gets treated as criminals.

The Salt Lake Tribune writes today of Salazar’s “acid test.“Equal treatment”. Feds must foil OHV lawbreakers. Tribune Editorial.

Idaho wildlife refuges, hatcheries get stimulus

Salazar has annonced $275,000,000 (275-million) of the stimulus money for National Wildlife Refuges and fish hatcheries.

It’s good news that $1.7 million went to Idaho. Over a million of it went to a fish hatchery built to replace spawning beds destroyed by the Dvorshak Reservoir on the North Fork of the Clearwater.

Montana got $3-million. Colorado, Salazar’s home state got 9.4 million.  Utah only got $231,000.  I could not find more info in a quick search.

‘Colorado cabal’ takes Interior’s reins

Dept. of Interior is usually quite unrepresentative of the country, but this is extraordinary-

‘Colorado cabal’ takes Interior’s reins. By NOELLE STRAUB. New York Times.

Still, I’d say its better than the industry-minded bunch Dirk Kempthorne brought in Idaho.

Salazar’s Wolf Decision Upsets Administration Allies

Salazar’s failure to consult POTUS gives new Administration a headache (as it should)-

Salazar’s Wolf Decision Upsets Administration Allies
By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post

It appears that Salazar wasn’t interested in consulting anyone but the Bush Administration personnel and some other agency folks for the “good science” they have already “produced”.
He only consulted governors with less than favorable attitudes on predators, wolves in particular. He had no intention of hearing anything other than what he wanted to hear to make this decision.

Fortunately, not everyone in our halls of governing agree with him. Perhaps due to the fact that they are not ranchers.  He didn’t seem to think that his boss needed to be consulted either, even directly following commitments by Obama himself to uphold the ESA and scientific integrity in speeches within 48 hours of announcing this “Friday night” ruling.

Perhaps the same comments on commitment to scientific integrity made by Obama on stem cell research should be applied to the ESA and wolves.

Another Coloradoan to Interior

Salazar fills most Interior slots with fellow Coloradoans-

His predecessor, Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor, filled DOI with Idaho people, most of them long time foes of conservation, with scores to settle with Idaho conservationists.

Secretary Salazar’s people certainly have a different policy perspective, but almost all are coming from just one state — not surprisingly his home state.

This brief article is about the appointment of an “economic-stimulus money ‘czar’ ” at DOI.

Hickenlooper aide headed to Interior Department. The Denver Post

Salazar Pledges ‘Balance’ to Scandal-Plagued Interior

Salazar promises reform, but is it enough?

Since Ken Salazar took over as Interior secretary, his first order of business has been undoing the last business done by the outgoing Bush administration.   Read More…

By David Frey, 2-04-09

Salazar Cancels Oil and Gas Leases on your public land in Utah

Bush Administration Had Opened 110,000 Acres Near Pristine Areas to Energy Exploration-

Interior Secretary Cancels Leases on Federal Land in Utah. Bush Administration Had Opened 110,000 Acres Near Pristine Areas to Energy Exploration.By Juliet Eilperin.Washington Post Staff Writer.

April Clauson reported this in a comment earlier. Above is the full story.
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This is sale the brave University of Utah student disrupted. See below.

Scrapped Utah drilling-lease sale thrills Redford, monkey-wrencher. On hold » While actor, U. activist cheer, industry laments Salazar’s decision to shelve auction of 77 redrock sites.
By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

Secretary Salazar will review numerous Kempthorne decisions at Interior

He can undo some with a stroke of a pen. Others could stand or be modified. Some will take years of rule-making-

“Salazar to revisit recent Interior Department actions. The department’s new chief will review many of the energy and environmental decisions made in the waning days of the Bush administration.”  By Jim Tankersley. LA Times.

Bush oil-shale rules to get review. By Mark Jaffe. The Denver Post

Ken Salazar promises reform at Interior Department

Salazar’s hearing before Senate Committe-

Sounds like any generic, old school Western Democrat that has been in this “saddle” many times before-

Ken Salazar promises reform at Interior Department. LA Times. By Jim Tankersley

Barack Obama criticized — again — over pick of Ken Salazar as Interior secretary. By Pete Thomas. LA Times.

I should add that there are those who say many of Obama’s cabinet choices will not have a lot of freedom of action because the big decisions will be made by advisors at higher levels closer to the President. This can be good or bad, depending on the advisors, the President and the issue.

Salazar confirmation hearings today expected to yield few fireworks

This is the big office for those interested in Western wildlife and public lands. The nomination doesn’t seem controversial to his fellow senators-

Salazar confirmation hearings expected to yield few fireworks. Senator generally respected, admired by GOP and Dems. By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News

A dark horse choice to replace Ken Salazar in the U.S. Senate

Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet gets the nod from Colorado Governor Ritter-

The good news is it looks like Bennet is of a greener disposition than Salazar.

From the blog Colorado pols . . . Michael Bennet, Everybody!

Speculation on why Salazar?

George Wuerthner analysis why Ken Salazar got the nod-

Why Salazar?  By George Wuerthner, New West.

One interesting thought is that with senator Ken Salazar gone, the much more progressive Mark Udall will become Colorado’s senior senator. I should add that for progressives to improve their senatorial lot in Colorado, Ken Salazar’s appointed replacement cannot be his perhaps even less progressive brother, congressman, John Salazar.

Interior decorating: Obama, Salazar and the Future of America’s Public Lands

Consensus decision-making is incompatable with the rule of law-

Obama, Salazar and the Future of America’s Public Lands. Interior Decorating. By Dr. Brian Horejsi. Counterpunch.

Interior nominee Salazar likely to push update, not overhaul, of mining law

The 1872 Mining Law is a long-standing embarrassment, but Obama has shown no interest in dumping it-

During the primary election season when Obama first came out against significant reform of this land destroying, trillion* dollar give-away, I thought he had merely received bad advice. Raúl Grijalva’s fervent desire to end this law probably weighed heavily against him in consideration for the job as Secretary of Interior.

Interior nominee Salazar likely to push update, not overhaul, of mining law. By Lisa Mascaro. Las Vegas Sun.

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*That’s a trillion dollars over time, not an annual loss to the treasury

Environmentalists Wary of Obama’s Interior Pick

Reaction to Salazar pick in NYT-

Environmentalists Wary of Obama’s Interior Pick . John M. Broder.

Oh god! Salazar showed up wearing a cowboy hat. Makes you sick.

Well everyone should hold their breath and count until the “lesser” nominations.

Obama Names Salazar As Secretary of Interior

Salazar decribed as a “moderate” and a “broker”-

From WaPo. Obama Names Salazar As Secretary of Interior. By Juliet Eilperin, Phil Rucker and Dan Morgan.

That is so offensive to hear him described as “a fifth-generation Coloradan whose family settled in the West before the United States’ founding and has ranched and farmed on the same land in the San Luis Valley for more than a century. . . .”

They could say the same about me, but me and most of my relatives seem to have lost our political importance when we didn’t ranch.

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♣

Ritter promises quick decision on Salazar seat. Politico.

Has anyone thought that Obama might have wanted a more reliable vote in the US Senate than Salazar?