Heinrich Receives Commitments from Interior Nominee to Seek Local Input and Tribal Consultation on Public Lands Management and Prioritize Tribal Water Rights Settlements, Stresses Importance to Bolster Outdoor Recreation Opportunities to Grow the Economy and Support Jobs
WASHINGTON - During a hearing to consider Governor Doug Burgum’s for the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, received commitments from Burgum to seek critical input from local leaders and stakeholders, and consult with Tribal leaders before the Department considers making conservation designation changes to public lands in New Mexico and across the country. Heinrich also received a commitment from Burgum to prioritize Tribal water rights settlements.
Additionally, Heinrich highlighted the significance of the outdoor recreation’s massive economic impact, questioning Burgum on how he would sustain and support this essential industry.
VIDEO: Heinrich Questions Governor Burgum in Hearing to Consider Burgum for Interior Secretary
On Heinrich securing Governor Burgum’s commitment to seek local input and consult with Tribal leaders when the Department seeks to make wholesale conservation designation to public lands:
“I would just simply ask that before the Department makes wholesale changes to conservation designations in the state of New Mexico, at least, that you would meet with myself and any local leaders who help to create those designations in the first place,” Senator Heinrich questioned.
“I think yes, absolutely,” Governor Burgum responded. “We'd look forward to those discussions with you and, I think, again, as you've described, the key to this is the local consultation.
“My experience as Governor and working with the Tribes and working with local communities in North Dakota, whether it's grazing associations, county commissioners, mayors, rural residents, I think the consultation is key,” Governor Burgum continued.
“And part of that consultation is also those Tribes that have both current and historic connections to those places as well, right,” Senator Heinrich pressed.
“Absolutely,” Governor Burgum responded.
On Heinrich securing Governor Burgum’s commitment to bolster outdoor recreation:
“As a former outfitter guide, I'm excited that this body just passed the EXPLORE Act,” said Senator Heinrich. “It's the first major piece of outdoor recreation legislation, and it's the kind of recognition of the big economic driver of our public lands that often doesn't get the same attention that energy and other uses get.”
“Outdoor recreation in New Mexico is responsible for something like 29 million jobs and billions of dollars of impact. On a national scale, it generates over a trillion dollars to our economy,” Senator Heinrich continued, “So, talk a little about how we can… support that outdoor recreation economy.”
“First, I would just like to say this is a really important topic, but it's also a passion of mine as someone who has spent my life as an avid outdoorsman,” Governor Burgum responded. “I was very pleased to get the full endorsement of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable for this job ,which represents that trillion dollar industry.”
“As governor, we created an office of outdoor recreation and continue to invest in it, whether that's access to fishing and hunting, public access on public lands,” Governor Burgum continued. “We've been able to find tools to bring together land owners and sportsmen on both private lands as well as public lands to make sure that we can keep that outdoor economy growing.”
On Heinrich securing Governor Burgum’s commitment to prioritize and solving Tribal water rights settlements:
“Tribal water settlements are incredibly important for water certainty in the west, especially with all of the conflicts we have not just in the Colorado basin, but the Rio Grande, and other western basins,” said Senator Heinrich. “If you are confirmed would you commit to continuing the department's work to both resolve legal claims around tribal water settlements, but also just implement the existing water settlements that have already been made?”
“You have my commitment to work on those,” Governor Burgum responded.
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