Secretary Deb Haaland Issues a New Secretarial Order to Tackle the Climate Crisis

From Day One, President Biden has been clear that we must take a whole-of-government approach to tackle the climate crisis, strengthen the economy, and address environmental justice.

At the Department of the Interior,

I believe we have a unique opportunity to make our communities more resilient

to climate change and to help lead the transition to a clean energy economy.

That’s why today I’m taking steps

to align the Department of the Interior with the President’s priorities and better position the team to be a part of the climate solution.

First, I am revoking a series of Secretarial Orders issued in recent years that are inconsistent with our commitment to protect public health; conserve land, water, and wildlife; and elevate science.

Those previous Orders unfairly tilted the balance of public land and ocean management toward extractive uses without regard for climate change, equity, or community engagement.

In their place, I am issuing a new Secretarial Order to prioritize action on climate change and pursue environmental justice throughout the entire Interior Department.

I am establishing a Climate Task Force to coordinate work across the Department, including accelerating renewable energy development and identifying actions to foster investments in energy communities.

The Order also provides guidance on how science may be used in the decision-making process and will improve transparency and public engagement in our decision-making process.

I know that signing Secretarial Orders alone won’t address the urgency of the climate crisis –

far from it.

But I’m hopeful that these steps will help make clear that we, as a Department, have a mandate to act.

With the vast experience, talent, and ingenuity of our public servants here at the Department of the Interior, I’m optimistic about what we can accomplish together to care for our land so that it is there for future generations.