Politics Nov 15 Trump picks North Dakota Gov. Burgum to run Interior Dept. and new energy council President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump's choice to head the Interior Department, will also lead a newly created National Energy Council that will seek to establish U.S. “energy dominance” around the world. By Matthew Daly, Chris Megerian, Associated Press
Nation May 11 Interior Department report identifies more Native American boarding schools and burial sites A new federal study shows the U.S. government supported more than 400 Native American boarding schools aimed at assimilating Native children. By Felicia Fonseca, Associated Press
Politics May 11 WATCH: Report finds 500 Native American boarding school deaths in ‘terrible system,’ Haaland says A first-of-its-kind federal study of Native American boarding schools that for over a century sought to assimilate Indigenous children into white society has identified more than 500 student deaths at the institutions so far. By Felicia Fonseca
Politics Apr 23 Biden taps Montana environmentalist to direct Bureau of Land Management President Joe Biden has nominated Tracy Stone-Manning of Missoula, Montana, to direct the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management. She will oversee roughly a quarter-billion acres of federally owned land in Western states. By Matthew Brown, Associated Press
Apr 01 Biden infrastructure plan would spend $16 billion to clean up old mines, oil wells By Matthew Daly, Associated Press President Joe Biden’s plan to transform America’s infrastructure includes $16 billion to plug old oil and gas wells and clean up abandoned mines. Continue reading
Feb 11 U.S. agency cancels Trump policy on conservation purchases By Matthew Brown, Associated Press Acting Interior Secretary Scott de la Vega on Thursday rescinded a November order from former Secretary David Bernhardt that was criticized by lawmakers from both parties in Congress. Continue reading
Dec 19 Watch Why Native Americans are celebrating Rep. Haaland’s nomination By PBS NewsHour President-elect Joe Biden is nominating Representative Deb Haaland to lead the Department of Interior. If confirmed, she would become the first Native American to lead the agency, which is responsible for public lands, including land taken from Indigenous people. Julian… Continue watching
Feb 11 Oil from federal lands tops 1 billion barrels as Trump eases industry rules By Matthew Brown, Associated Press Oil production from federally-managed lands and waters topped a record 1 billion barrels last year, federal officials said Tuesday, as technological advances helped drive development in new areas and the Trump administration eases rules on the industry. Continue reading
Jul 30 Opponent of nation’s public lands is picked to oversee them By Ellen Knickmeyer, Brady McCombs, Associated Press Wyoming native William Perry Pendley has, for decades, championed ranchers and others in standoffs with the federal government over grazing and other uses of public lands. Continue reading