United States Secretaries of the Interior

United States Secretaries of the Interior
Name	Secretary of the Interior
Incumbent	Deb Haaland
Incumbentsince	March 16, 2021
Department	United States Department of the Interior
Style	Mr. Secretary
Reports to	President of the United States
Seat	United States Department of the Interior Building
Appointer	President of the United States with United States Senate advice and consent
Formation	March 3, 1849
First	Thomas Ewing
Website	Department of the Interior

Contents

United States Secretaries of the Interior.

The Secretary of the Interior leads the United States Department of the Interior, administering federal stewardship of public lands, natural resources, and relations with Native American tribes. Established by statutes in the mid-19th century, the office has interfaced with administrations from Zachary Taylor to Joe Biden, shaping policy across conservation, resource development, and cultural heritage in jurisdictions such as Yellowstone National Park, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the National Park Service.

History

The office originated under legislation in 1849 during the administration of Zachary Taylor and the tenure of inaugural holder Thomas Ewing, intersecting with policy debates involving Westward expansion, the Mexican–American War, and the administration of public lands across territories like Oregon Territory and New Mexico Territory. Throughout the late 19th century, Secretaries engaged with figures such as Frederick Law Olmsted and agencies like the United States Geological Survey amid controversies over homestead policy, railroad land grants and conservation spurred by events including the establishment of Yellowstone National Park and the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. In the 20th century, Secretaries under Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower dealt with New Deal programs, energy development epitomized by projects like Hoover Dam, and postwar resource management linked to Bureau of Reclamation initiatives. Late-century and contemporary Secretaries interacted with landmark statutes such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Indian Reorganization Act, while responding to crises exemplified by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and litigation before the United States Supreme Court.

The Secretary oversees stewardship of federal assets including National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Geological Survey, coordinating policy on conservation and resource extraction such as timber, mineral leasing, and offshore energy in places like the Gulf of Mexico and the Outer Continental Shelf. The office implements federal trust responsibilities toward federally recognized tribes in the United States through the Bureau of Indian Affairs and manages land conveyances, rights-of-way, and water projects administered by the Bureau of Reclamation. The Secretary also enforces statutory obligations under laws like the National Historic Preservation Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the Antiquities Act, frequently engaging with litigants in federal courts including the D.C. Circuit and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate under the Appointments Clause, with confirmations subject to hearings before committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; examples include confirmation processes for Julián Castro nominee debates and historic confirmations such as that of Deb Haaland. Succession within the Department follows statutory order including the Deputy Secretary of the Interior and assistant secretaries; interim leadership has arisen through recess appointments, acting service under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, and historical precedents when Secretaries resigned during administrations like Richard Nixon or Donald Trump. The office interfaces with executive directives such as Executive Order 12866 and appropriations oversight by the United States House Committee on Appropriations.

Secretaries who left significant legacies include John M. Clayton in early land policy, Carl Schurz for civil service principles, Gifford Pinchot—who advanced professional forestry and clashed with Richard Ballinger—and Franklin Knight Lane who shaped public-land administration. Under Theodore Roosevelt, Secretaries collaborated with conservationists like John Muir and Gifford Pinchot on national forests; during the New Deal, Secretaries worked with Harold L. Ickes and agencies including the Civilian Conservation Corps on projects such as reforestation and park infrastructure. Later figures include Stewart Udall and Morris Udall-aligned initiatives, James G. Watt whose tenure sparked controversy over resource development, Bruce Babbitt who presided during litigation over the Endangered Species Act, and Ken Salazar who confronted energy and conservation balance after events like the BP oil spill. Recent Secretaries such as Sally Jewell, Ryan Zinke, Deb Haaland, and predecessors navigated issues from climate policy debates linked to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to tribal land settlements involving the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

Major initiatives include establishment and expansion of protected areas via the Antiquities Act and creation of systems such as the National Wilderness Preservation System and National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Secretaries implemented water management programs through the Bureau of Reclamation and shaped mineral policy via the Mineral Leasing Act and leases overseen by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Conservation and species protection work has invoked the Endangered Species Act and partnerships with organizations like the Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy, while energy and leasing reforms addressed oil, natural gas, and renewable siting on public lands and offshore under statutes such as the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Tribal policy milestones include affirmation of fiduciary duties, settlement negotiations exemplified by cases before the Indian Claims Commission, and implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

The Secretary heads a cabinet-level department that includes bureaus such as National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Department coordinates with other federal entities including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior's Office of Inspector General, the Department of Justice on litigation, the Department of Energy on energy policy, and congressional committees like the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Natural Resources Committee. Interactions with state governments, tribal governments including sovereign Navajo Nation and Cherokee Nation, non-governmental organizations, and private stakeholders shape implementation of statutes such as the Federal Power Act and operational partnerships in areas like heritage preservation at sites including Alcatraz Island and Mesa Verde National Park.