(Cortez Masto Meets With Deb Haaland)
(Cortez Masto Meets With Former Michigan Governor Granholm)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today met virtually with Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D.-N.M.-01), who has been nominated by President-elect Biden to be Secretary of the Interior, and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, who has been nominated to be Secretary of Energy.
“More than 85 percent of Nevada is publicly-held land, which gives rise to many complicated issues for Nevada’s mining, grazing, and outdoor recreation industries, as well as Nevada’s tribal communities. From improving public land management to maintaining good government-to-government relationships with Indian tribes, many of the issues Nevada confronts are managed by the Department of the Interior. I was glad to have had the opportunity to discuss these and other issues with Rep. Haaland, and I congratulated her on her historic nomination to be the first Native American Secretary of the Interior and the first Native woman in a Cabinet-level position. I look forward to further reviewing Rep. Haaland’s record.
“Nevada’s entire Congressional delegation agrees that the country should not move forward with plans for a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. The Department of Energy has an important role to play in Nevada’s energy future. Whether by helping to strengthen the state’s clean energy economy or promoting the use of electric vehicles, I hope the Department recognizes the need to improve our air quality and combat the climate crisis. I appreciated the chance to discuss energy issues with Governor Granholm today, and I will continue to review her professional background and qualifications.”
BACKGROUND:
Senator Cortez Masto has been a strong advocate for legislation to curb the epidemic of missing, murdered and trafficked Native women and girls. This year, the Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act were passed into law. These bills will, among other things, establish a commission law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, and survivors to make recommendations to the Department of the Interior and Department of Justice on combatting the epidemic of missing persons, murder, and trafficking of indigenous women.
Senator Cortez Masto has also introduced the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act to prohibit oil and gas leasing on public lands that have low or no potential for development. She has a strong history of opposing nuclear waste disposal at Yucca Mountain and has introduced legislation to ensure the Secretary of Energy obtains written consent from state, local, and tribal leaders before allowing construction of a nuclear waste repository. As part of her Innovation State Initiative, she has introduced a suite of legislation to promote electric vehicles and improve clean energy infrastructure, as well as to offer grants for projects that increase energy efficiency at schools. The recently-enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 included provisions that Senator Cortez Masto has championed to extend renewable investment tax credits for Nevada’s solar energy industry and promote geothermal energy.
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