President-elect Barack Obama introduced Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar Wednesday as the man who will lead the U.S. Department of the Interior. And in picking a moderate Democrat for the post, Obama has irked some environmentalists.
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/us/politics/18salazarcnd.html?hp" title="This, according to the New York Times:”>This, according to the New York Times:
“He is a right-of-center Democrat who often favors industry and big agriculture in battles over global warming, fuel efficiency and endangered species,” said Kieran Suckling, executive director of Center for Biological Diversity, which tracks endangered species and habitat issues. “He is very unlikely to bring significant change to the scandal-plagued Department of Interior. It’s a very disappointing choice for a presidency which promised visionary change.”
Daniel R. Patterson, a former Interior official who is now southwest regional director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, an advocacy group, said that Mr. Salazar has justifiably become the most controversial of Mr. Obama’s cabinet appointees.
“Salazar has a disturbingly weak conservation record, particularly on energy development, global warming, endangered wildlife and protecting scientific integrity,” said Mr. Patterson, who was elected last month to the Arizona House of Representatives from Tucson and who supports fellow Arizonan Mr. Grijalva for the Interior job. “It’s no surprise oil and gas, mining, agribusiness and other polluting industries that have dominated Interior are supporting rancher Salazar — he’s their friend.”