Would-be Interior Secretary Heinrich lays out his vision

摘要

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich has a few recommendations for the next denizen of the White House: It's time to overhaul the Interior Department and how the nation manages its public lands. The Democrat - who is widely viewed as a potential pick for Interior secretary should Democratic nominee Joe Biden defeat President Trump next month - outlined his vision yesterday during an event hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association. Heinrich called for a "national outdoor recreation plan" and described an Interior agency focused more on climate change than on extractive industry. "We need a presidential administration to have a modern vision for public land management that's really rooted in conservation and solving the climate crisis and very aware of the needs of all our recreation partners," Heinrich said during the event, promoted as "The 2020 Election and Beyond: What's at stake for the outdoor recreation economy? A conversation with Senator Martin Heinrich." The New Mexico lawmaker lamented that both Interior and the Forest Service continue to operate under "foundational laws" created to emphasize beef production, timber harvesting or ore extraction, arguing the modern economy "needs very different things."