News for Immediate Release
Dec. 17, 2020
Contact: Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, [email protected]

MISSOULA, Mont. – Reacting to President-elect Joe Biden’s planned nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico as secretary of the Department of the Interior, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers President and CEO Land Tawney issued the following response:

“Rep. Haaland has been a vocal and effective leader in the House of Representatives, championing conservation issues and elevating critical voices from indigenous communities in her home state of New Mexico. Her familiarity with the West and our public lands and waters are an asset that will serve hunters, anglers and all outdoor enthusiasts as she faces critical decisions for the Interior Department from Day One.

“From potentially devastating energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to irresponsible mining within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness watershed, the future of America’s public lands – and healthy fish and wildlife populations, as well as our cherished outdoor traditions – are at a crossroads. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers looks forward to working with Rep. Haaland as she assumes the interior secretary post.”

BHA North American Board Chairman Ted Koch, a career federal resource manager, offered the following statement:

“Rep. Haaland has the experience, expertise and keen appreciation of our public lands and waters to ensure that highly consequential land and water management decisions are balanced, thoughtful and representative of the best interests of all Americans, including hunters and anglers.

“During my career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service I was privileged to focus on management of critical species of wildlife, including the greater sage grouse, and so understand both the importance of collaborative conservation efforts and the unique pressures faced by our federal resource managers. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers stands ready to be a strong ally in the Biden administration’s work to ensure that our shared resources and public opportunities to access and enjoy them are upheld in the years to come.”

A member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, Haaland has served as vice chairwoman of the House Natural Resources Committee and chairwoman of the subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. 

Established in 2004 around an Oregon campfire, BHA is the fastest growing organization of public lands sportsmen and women in the world and has chapters in 48 states, 2 Canadian provinces and one territory, and Washington, D.C. BHA’s New Mexico chapter has been in existence for more than a decade and is an outspoken voice for sportsmen and women in the Land of Enchantment.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice
for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.

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