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Category: Climate

Haaland Confirmed as Interior Secretary

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Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico was confirmed last evening as Secretary of Interior. With her confirmation, she becomes the first Native American to serve as Cabinet Secretary.

Read more about her, her confirmation, and some of the challenges she faces in her new role here, here, and here.  She is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday.

UW Publishes 2021 Federal Agenda

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The University of Washington has published our 2021 Federal Agenda outlining our top priorities for the coming year. Our agenda reflects a commitment to service, excellence, and innovation, taking into account the unique challenges of the past year.

We are proud of our longstanding partnership with the federal government and look forward to further collaboration in 2021.

Biden Signs Executive Orders to Tackle Climate Crisis

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President Biden signed several Executive Orders related to climate resiliency and sustainable infrastructure. The Executive Orders aim to:

  • Center the Climate Crisis in US Foreign Policy and National Security Considerations;
  • Take a “Whole-of-Government” approach to the Climate Crisis and Create an Office of Domestic Climate Policy;
  • Leverage Federal Buying Power;
  • Rebuild Infrastructure to catalyze the creation of jobs in construction, manufacturing, engineering and the skilled-trades;
  • Advance Conservation, Agriculture, and Reforestation;
  • Revitalize Energy Communities;
  • Secure Environmental Justice and Economic Opportunity.

The President also signed a memorandum on scientific integrity and evidence-based policymaking, which will re-establish the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

A full fact-sheet is available here.

Agencies Begin to Fill Leadership Positions

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A number of agencies have started naming individuals for key positions within their ranks.

The Department of Energy released a slate of individuals for senior positions earlier today, which is available here.  The Department of Interior also publicly released yesterday  a number of names tapped for leadership posts in the agency.

We will continue to post other agency staffing announcements on our site.

 

 

Texts of Biden Executive Actions Now Available

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As noted earlier yesterday, President Biden was expected to take a number of executive actions on a host of issues on his first day, including COVID-19, DACA, and student loan repayments, among others.  He did take those executive actions after being sworn in and the  texts of those executive actions are now available.

  • The text of the Presidential Memorandum on “Preserving and Fortifying DACA” is available here.
  • The text of the Presidential Proclamation ending the “Muslim ban” is available here.
  • The text of the Executive Order on a review of regulations that negatively impact the climate issued during the Trump Administration is available here.
  • The text of a memo from the White House Chief of Staff to agency heads halting “midnight regulations” is available here.
  • A statement regarding student loan repayments is available here.  The Education Department has already updated its website to reflect an extension on the repayment pause through September 30.

Texts of other executive actions taken by the new President are available here.